ATM-Mediated Mitochondrial Radiation Responses of Human Fibroblasts

Ataxia telangiectasia (AT) is characterized by extreme sensitivity to ionizing radiation. The gene mutated in AT, Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM), has serine/threonine protein kinase activity and mediates the activation of multiple signal transduction pathways involved in the processing of DNA double-strand breaks. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) created as a byproduct of the mitochondria’s oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) has been proposed to be the source of intracellular ROS. Mitochondria are uniquely vulnerable to ROS because they are the sites of ROS generation. ROS-induced mitochondrial mutations lead to impaired mitochondrial respiration and further increase the likelihood of ROS generation, establishing a vicious cycle of further ROS production and mitochondrial damage. AT patients and ATM-deficient mice display intrinsic mitochondrial dysfunction and exhibit constitutive elevations in ROS levels. ATM plays a critical role in maintaining cellular redox homeostasis. However, the precise mechanism of ATM-mediated mitochondrial antioxidants remains unclear. The aim of this review paper is to introduce our current research surrounding the role of ATM on maintaining cellular redox control in human fibroblasts. ATM-mediated signal transduction is important in the mitochondrial radiation response. Perturbation of mitochondrial redox control elevates ROS which are key mediators in the development of cancer by many mechanisms, including ROS-mediated genomic instability, tumor microenvironment formation, and chronic inflammation.