C. Lukas et al., DNA damage-activated kinase Chk2 is independent of proliferation or differentiation yet correlates with tissue biology, CANCER RES, 61(13), 2001, pp. 4990-4993
The Chk2 kinase is a tumor suppressor and key transducer of DNA-damage chec
kpoints, We show that the human Chk2 protein is relatively stable, nuclear,
and responding to gamma -radiation throughout the cell cycle. Contrary to
the retinoblastoma protein-regulated, labile Chk1 kinase restricted to S-G,
phases, Chk2 remains activatable even in quiescent and differentiating cel
ls. In human tissues, Chk2 is homogeneously expressed in renewing cell popu
lations such as epidermis or intestine, heterogeneous in conditionally rene
wing tissues, and absent or cytoplasmic in static tissues such as muscle or
brain. These data highlight striking differences between Chk2 and Chk1 and
show unexpected correlation of Chk2 expression with tissue biology.