Hippocampal neurons of mice deficient in DNA-dependent protein kinase exhibit increased vulnerability to DNA damage, oxidative stress and excitotoxicity

DNA damage has been documented in neurodegenerative conditions ranging from Alzheimer's disease to stroke. DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) is in volved in V(D)J recombination and DNA double strand break repair, and may p lay a role in cell death induced by DNA damage. We now report that cultured hippocampal neurons from severe combined immunodeficient (scid) mice which lack DNA-PK activity are hypersensitive to apoptosis induced by exposure t o topoisomerase inhibitors, amyloid beta peptide (AP) and glutamate. A simi lar increased vulnerability of hippocampal CAI and CA3 neurons was observed in adult scid mice after kainate-induced seizures. Our results suggest tha t DNA-PK activity is important for neuron survival under conditions that ma y occur in neurological disorders. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All right s reserved.