Cellular responses to DNA damage are highly variable and strongly depend on the cellular and organismic context. Studying the DNA damage response is crucial for a better understanding of cancer... Show moreCellular responses to DNA damage are highly variable and strongly depend on the cellular and organismic context. Studying the DNA damage response is crucial for a better understanding of cancer formation and ageing as well as genotoxic stress-induced cancer therapy. To do justice to the multifaceted cellular changes, elicited by DNA damage, use of high-throughput techniques and integration with bioinformatics tools is of great value. This thesis summarizes recent advances in the field of systems biology studies of the DNA damage response and furthermore shows integrated approaches of the study of DNA damage response signaling networks in embryonic stem and cancer cells. By integration of transcriptional changes and the phosphorylation and metabolic response of cisplatin-treated embryonic stem cells, with RNAi-based knockdown screens we identify novel DNA damage response signaling networks, linking process such as Wnt signaling, translation arrest or altered metabolic pathways to the cellular response to DNA damage. Furthermore, genes, whose knockdown sensitizes embryonic stem cells to DNA damage-induced killing, are tested in cancer cells of varying genetic backgrounds identifying a small subset of genes, which represent potential drug targets for sensitization of cancer cells. Altogether, our systems approach for studying the DNA damage response identifies novel DNA damage-induced signaling networks and molecules, which modulate survival in the presence of DNA damage, potentially providing new targets for therapeutic intervention or biomarker discovery. Show less
Cells in the human body have to deal with DNA damage daily, either caused by external or internal sources. The DDR is particularly strong in stem cells. Since these cells have a long life span and... Show moreCells in the human body have to deal with DNA damage daily, either caused by external or internal sources. The DDR is particularly strong in stem cells. Since these cells have a long life span and are essential for tissue homeostasis, tolerance to damaged DNA would lead to accumulation of mutations and malignant transformation. In addition, accumulation of damaged DNA would lead to loss of the stem cell pool and contribute to aging. In this thesis I investigated the role of the DNA damage response in the context of stem cells as well as cancer cells, from the response to different DNA damaging agents, to the importance of the interaction with the extracellular matrix in combination with the presence of oncogenes. In order to acquire a complete picture of the DNA damage response in mES cells, and therefore elucidate novel pathways involved in this particular response, we combined OMICS techniques such as Functional Genomics, Transcriptomics and Phosphoprotoemics, that once overlapped, allowed us to find novel pathways that where not previously described to be involved in the DNA damage response. Show less
