Distinct roles of Topoisomerase II isoforms: DNA damage accelerating alpha, double strand break repair promoting beta.

Topoisomerase II alpha (TopoIIalpha) and Topoisomerase II beta (TopoIIbeta) isoforms are different gene products having conserved catalytic activities. The alpha isoform is present in proliferating cell, while beta isoform is predominantly present in non-proliferating cells namely neurons suggesting its role in non-replicating functions of DNA. The functions of TopoIIalpha and TopoIIbeta isoforms are analyzed in peroxide-mediated DNA damage and double strand breaks (DSBs) repair in neuroblastoma and astrocytoma cells. The results show a strong correlation of TopoIIalpha level with the progression of DNA damage, while the TopoIIbeta expression is correlated with the DNA DSBs repair activity of cells in Ku70, Werner's helicase and pol-beta dependent pathways. The functional roles of TopoIIalpha and TopoIIbeta are assessed using siRNA mediated TopoIIalpha and TopoIIbeta knockdown in cells. The results show that TopoIIalpha-TopoIIbeta+ cells are resistant to peroxide-mediated DNA damage, while TopoIIalpha+TopoIIbeta- cells are 2-fold more sensitive to peroxide and TopoIIbeta deficiency lead to cellular apoptosis. These results are correlated with cell survival from peroxide-mediated insult. The result of this study that TopoIIalpha accelerates peroxide-mediated DNA damage, while TopoIIbeta promotes DNA DSBs repair activity should provide new directions toward understanding of normalytic ageing processes in human brain.