Chemotherapy-induced genotoxic damage to bone marrow cells: Long-term implications

May, Jennifer E; Donaldson, Craig; Gynn, Liana; Ruth Morse, H.

Abstract

© The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the UK Environmental Mutagen Society. Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) within the bone marrow (BM) are vitally important in forming the micro-environment supporting haematopoiesis after myeloablative chemotherapy. MSCs are known to be damaged phenotypically and functionally by chemotherapy; however, to the best our knowledge, the persistence of genotoxic effects of chemotherapy on the BM micro-environment has not been studied. We therefore aimed to evaluate genotoxic effects of chemotherapy on the BM both in vitro and in vivo, using the comet and micronucleus assays, focussing on the persistence of DNA lesions that may contribute to complications in the patient.The MSC cell line (HS-5) and primary cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMNCs: a source of undamaged DNA) were exposed to the chemotherapeutic agent cyclophosphamide (CY) within a physiologically relevant in vitro model. CY treatment resulted in significant increases in CBMNC DNA damage at all time points tested (3-48 h exposure). Similarly, HS-5 cells exposed to CY exhibited significant increases in DNA damage as measured by the comet assay, with increased numbers of abnormal cells visible in the micronucleus assay. In addition, even 48 h after removal of 48-h CY treatment, DNA damage remains significantly increased in treated cells relative to controls. In patients treated with chemotherapy for haematological malignancy, highly significant increases in damaged DNA were seen in BM cells isolated from one individual 1 year after completion of therapy for acute leukaemia compared with pretreatment (P < 0.001). Similarly, two individuals treated 7 and 17 years previously with chemotherapy exhibited significant increases of damaged DNA in MSC compared with untreated age- and sex-matched controls (P < 0.05). Unlike haematopoietic cells, MSCs are not replaced following a stem cell transplant.Therefore, long-term damage to MSC may impact on engraftment of either allogeneic or autologous transplants. In addition, persistence of DNA lesions may lead to genetic instability, correlating with the significant number of chemotherapy-treated individuals who have therapy-related malignancies.

Citation

May, J. E., Donaldson, C., Gynn, L., & Ruth Morse, H. (2018). Chemotherapy-induced genotoxic damage to bone marrow cells: Long-term implications. Mutagenesis, 33(3), 241-251. https://doi.org/10.1093/mutage/gey014

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 3, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Jul 26, 2018
• Publication Date: Jul 26, 2018
• Deposit Date: Jul 6, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 27, 2019
• Journal: Mutagenesis
• Print ISSN: 0267-8357
• Electronic ISSN: 1464-3804
• Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 33
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 241-251
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mutage/gey014
• Keywords: bone marrow, chemotherapy
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/860564
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/mutage/gey014
• Additional Information: Additional Information : This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Mutagenesis following peer review. The version of record [May, J. E., Donaldson, C., Gynn, L. and Morse, H. R. (2018) Chemotherapy-induced genotoxic damage to bone marrow cells: Long-term implications. Mutagenesis. ISSN 0267-8357] is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1093/mutage/gey014