Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.


Originally published in Science Express on 11 April 2002
Science 17 May 2002:
Vol. 296. no. 5571, pp. 1276 - 1279
DOI: 10.1126/science.1070174

Research Articles

Premature Aging in Mice Deficient in DNA Repair and Transcription

Jan de Boer,1* Jaan Olle Andressoo,1 Jan de Wit,1 Jan Huijmans,2 Rudolph B. Beems,5 Harry van Steeg,5 Geert Weeda,1 Gijsbertus T. J. van der Horst,1 Wibeke van Leeuwen,3 Axel P. N. Themmen,4 Morteza Meradji,6 Jan H. J. Hoeijmakers1dagger

One of the factors postulated to drive the aging process is the accumulation of DNA damage. Here, we provide strong support for this hypothesis by describing studies of mice with a mutation in XPD, a gene encoding a DNA helicase that functions in both repair and transcription and that is mutated in the human disorder trichothiodystrophy (TTD). TTD mice were found to exhibit many symptoms of premature aging, including osteoporosis and kyphosis, osteosclerosis, early greying, cachexia, infertility, and reduced life-span. TTD mice carrying an additional mutation in XPA, which enhances the DNA repair defect, showed a greatly accelerated aging phenotype, which correlated with an increased cellular sensitivity to oxidative DNA damage. We hypothesize that aging in TTD mice is caused by unrepaired DNA damage that compromises transcription, leading to functional inactivation of critical genes and enhanced apoptosis.

1 Medical Genetics Center, Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Center for Biomedical Genetics,
2 MGC-Department of Clinical Genetics, CBG,
3 Department of Experimental Radiology,
4 Department of Endocrinology and Reproduction, Post Office Box 1738, Erasmus University, 3000 DR Rotterdam, Netherlands.
5 National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Post Office Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, Netherlands.
6 Department of Radiology, Sophia Kinderziekenhuis, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
*   Present address: Isotis N.V., Prof. Bronkhorstlaan 10 D, 3723 MB Bilthoven, Netherlands.

dagger    To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: hoeijmakers{at}gen.fgg.eur.nl


Read the Full Text



THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
DNA Damage, Aging, and Cancer.
J. H.J. Hoeijmakers (2009)
N. Engl. J. Med. 361, 1475-1485
   Full Text »    PDF »
Kainic Acid-induced F-344 Rat model of Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: Gene Expression and Canonical Pathways.
A. K. Sharma, G. H. Searfoss, R. Y. Reams, W. H. Jordan, P. W. Snyder, A. Y. Chiang, R. A. Jolly, and T. P. Ryan (2009)
Toxicol Pathol 37, 776-789
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
An Xpb Mouse Model for Combined Xeroderma Pigmentosum and Cockayne Syndrome Reveals Progeroid Features upon Further Attenuation of DNA Repair.
J.-O. Andressoo, G. Weeda, J. de Wit, J. R. Mitchell, R. B. Beems, H. van Steeg, G. T. J. van der Horst, and J. H. Hoeijmakers (2009)
Mol. Cell. Biol. 29, 1276-1290
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Severe growth retardation and early lethality in mice lacking the nuclear localization sequence and C-terminus of PTH-related protein.
D. Miao, H. Su, B. He, J. Gao, Q. Xia, M. Zhu, Z. Gu, D. Goltzman, and A. C. Karaplis (2008)
PNAS 105, 20309-20314
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Long-Term Effects of Mouse Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection with DNA-Fragmented Sperm on Health and Behavior of Adult Offspring.
R. Fernandez-Gonzalez, P. N. Moreira, M. Perez-Crespo, M. Sanchez-Martin, M. A. Ramirez, E. Pericuesta, A. Bilbao, P. Bermejo-Alvarez, J. d. D. Hourcade, F. R. d. Fonseca, et al. (2008)
Biol Reprod 78, 761-772
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Longevity and resistance to stress correlate with DNA repair capacity in Caenorhabditis elegans.
M. Hyun, J. Lee, K. Lee, A. May, V. A. Bohr, and B. Ahn (2008)
Nucleic Acids Res. 36, 1380-1389
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The role of DNA damage repair in aging of adult stem cells.
J. Kenyon and S. L. Gerson (2007)
Nucleic Acids Res.
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
2006 Kent Award Lecture: Is Cell Death and Replacement a Factor in Aging?.
H. R. Warner (2007)
J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. 62, 1228-1232
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Interaction of the Tumor Metastasis Suppressor Nonmetastatic Protein 23 Homologue H1 and Estrogen Receptor {alpha} Alters Estrogen-Responsive Gene Expression.
C. D. Curtis, V. S. Likhite, I. X. McLeod, J. R. Yates, and A. M. Nardulli (2007)
Cancer Res. 67, 10600-10607
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Skeletal Involution by Age-associated Oxidative Stress and Its Acceleration by Loss of Sex Steroids.
M. Almeida, L. Han, M. Martin-Millan, L. I. Plotkin, S. A. Stewart, P. K. Roberson, S. Kousteni, C. A. O'Brien, T. Bellido, A. M. Parfitt, et al. (2007)
J. Biol. Chem. 282, 27285-27297
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Oxidative Stress Antagonizes Wnt Signaling in Osteoblast Precursors by Diverting beta-Catenin from T Cell Factor- to Forkhead Box O-mediated Transcription.
M. Almeida, L. Han, M. Martin-Millan, C. A. O'Brien, and S. C. Manolagas (2007)
J. Biol. Chem. 282, 27298-27305
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Narrative Review: Hyperkyphosis in Older Persons.
D. M. Kado, K. Prenovost, and C. Crandall (2007)
Ann Intern Med 147, 330-338
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Mechanisms of Cardiovascular Disease in Accelerated Aging Syndromes.
B. C. Capell, F. S. Collins, and E. G. Nabel (2007)
Circ. Res. 101, 13-26
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Absence of full-length Brca1 sensitizes mice to oxidative stress and carcinogen-induced tumorigenesis in the esophagus and forestomach.
L. Cao, X. Xu, L. L. Cao, R.-H. Wang, X. Coumoul, S. S. Kim, and C.-X. Deng (2007)
Carcinogenesis 28, 1401-1407
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Science of Cancer and Aging.
I. Irminger-Finger (2007)
J. Clin. Oncol. 25, 1844-1851
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Cdc42 GTPase-activating protein deficiency promotes genomic instability and premature aging-like phenotypes.
L. Wang, L. Yang, M. Debidda, D. Witte, and Y. Zheng (2007)
PNAS 104, 1248-1253
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Increased apoptosis, p53 up-regulation, and cerebellar neuronal degeneration in repair-deficient Cockayne syndrome mice.
R. R. Laposa, E. J. Huang, and J. E. Cleaver (2007)
PNAS 104, 1389-1394
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Vascular Cell Senescence: Contribution to Atherosclerosis.
T. Minamino and I. Komuro (2007)
Circ. Res. 100, 15-26
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Progeria of Stem Cells: Stem Cell Exhaustion in Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome.
J. Halaschek-Wiener and A. Brooks-Wilson (2007)
J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. 62, 3-8
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Physicochemical Composition of Osteoporotic Bone in the Trichothiodystrophy Premature Aging Mouse Determined by Confocal Raman Microscopy.
A. A. van Apeldoorn, J. de Boer, H. van Steeg, J. H. J. Hoeijmakers, C. Otto, and C. A. van Blitterswijk (2007)
J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. 62, 34-40
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Haploinsufficiency in DNA Polymerase {beta} Increases Cancer Risk with Age and Alters Mortality Rate..
D. C. Cabelof, Y. Ikeno, A. Nyska, R. A. Busuttil, N. Anyangwe, J. Vijg, L. H. Matherly, J. D. Tucker, S. H. Wilson, A. Richardson, et al. (2006)
Cancer Res. 66, 7460-7465
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Is (Your Cellular Response to) Stress Killing You?.
F. Sierra (2006)
J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. 61, 557-561
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
A diet-induced mouse model for glutaric aciduria type I.
W. J. Zinnanti, J. Lazovic, E. B. Wolpert, D. A. Antonetti, M. B. Smith, J. R. Connor, M. Woontner, S. I. Goodman, and K. C. Cheng (2006)
Brain 129, 899-910
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Early aging-associated phenotypes in Bub3/Rae1 haploinsufficient mice..
D. J. Baker, K. B. Jeganathan, L. Malureanu, C. Perez-Terzic, A. Terzic, and J. M.A. van Deursen (2006)
J. Cell Biol. 172, 529-540
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Developing a Research Agenda in Biogerontology: Basic Mechanisms.
H. R. Warner (2005)
Sci. Aging Knowl. Environ. 2005, pe33
   Abstract »    Full Text »
Roles of tumor suppressor and telomere maintenance genes in cancer and aging--an epidemiological study.
J. Gu, M. R. Spitz, H. Zhao, J. Lin, H.B. Grossman, C. P. Dinney, and X. Wu (2005)
Carcinogenesis 26, 1741-1747
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
p63 deficiency activates a program of cellular senescence and leads to accelerated aging.
W. M. Keyes, Y. Wu, H. Vogel, X. Guo, S. W. Lowe, and A. A. Mills (2005)
Genes & Dev. 19, 1986-1999
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Mitochondrial DNA Mutations, Oxidative Stress, and Apoptosis in Mammalian Aging.
G. C. Kujoth, A. Hiona, T. D. Pugh, S. Someya, K. Panzer, S. E. Wohlgemuth, T. Hofer, A. Y. Seo, R. Sullivan, W. A. Jobling, et al. (2005)
Science 309, 481-484
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
DNA damage and osmotic regulation in the kidney.
N. I. Dmitrieva, M. B. Burg, and J. D. Ferraris (2005)
Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 289, F2-F7
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Hyperkyphotic Posture and Poor Physical Functional Ability in Older Community-Dwelling Men and Women: The Rancho Bernardo Study.
D. M. Kado, M.-H. Huang, E. Barrett-Connor, and G. A. Greendale (2005)
J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. 60, 633-637
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Aging and biomedicine 2005: Where should we go from here?.
M. Barton (2005)
Cardiovasc Res 66, 187-189
   Full Text »    PDF »
Reactive Oxygen Species Stimulates Receptor Activator of NF-{kappa}B Ligand Expression in Osteoblast.
X.-c. Bai, D. Lu, A.-l. Liu, Z.-m. Zhang, X.-m. Li, Z.-p. Zou, W.-s. Zeng, B.-l. Cheng, and S.-q. Luo (2005)
J. Biol. Chem. 280, 17497-17506
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Mechanisms of Hair Graying: Incomplete Melanocyte Stem Cell Maintenance in the Niche.
E. K. Nishimura, S. R. Granter, and D. E. Fisher (2005)
Science 307, 720-724
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Hydrogen Peroxide Is Essential for Estrogen-Deficiency Bone Loss and Osteoclast Formation.
J. M. Lean, C. J. Jagger, B. Kirstein, K. Fuller, and T. J. Chambers (2005)
Endocrinology 146, 728-735
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
BRCTx Is a Novel, Highly Conserved RAD18-Interacting Protein.
D. J. Adams, L. van der Weyden, F. V. Gergely, M. J. Arends, B. L. Ng, D. Tannahill, R. Kanaar, A. Markus, B. J. Morris, and A. Bradley (2005)
Mol. Cell. Biol. 25, 779-788
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
From The Cover: Complete absence of Cockayne syndrome group B gene product gives rise to UV-sensitive syndrome but not Cockayne syndrome.
K. Horibata, Y. Iwamoto, I. Kuraoka, N. G. J. Jaspers, A. Kurimasa, M. Oshimura, M. Ichihashi, and K. Tanaka (2004)
PNAS 101, 15410-15415
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
p53-dependent inhibition of FKHRL1 in response to DNA damage through protein kinase SGK1.
H. You, Y. Jang, A. I. You-Ten, H. Okada, J. Liepa, A. Wakeham, K. Zaugg, and T. W. Mak (2004)
PNAS 101, 14057-14062
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Murine Models of Life Span Extension.
J. K. Quarrie and K. T. Riabowol (2004)
Sci. Aging Knowl. Environ. 2004, re5
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
DNA damage stabilizes interaction of CSB with the transcription elongation machinery.
V. van den Boom, E. Citterio, D. Hoogstraten, A. Zotter, J.-M. Egly, W. A. van Cappellen, J. H.J. Hoeijmakers, A. B. Houtsmuller, and W. Vermeulen (2004)
J. Cell Biol. 166, 27-36
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Interleukin-1{alpha} Promotes Tumor Growth and Cachexia in MCF-7 Xenograft Model of Breast Cancer.
S. Kumar, H. Kishimoto, H. L. Chua, S. Badve, K. D. Miller, R. M. Bigsby, and H. Nakshatri (2003)
Am. J. Pathol. 163, 2531-2541
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Aging and Kyphosis.
G. S. Gerhard and C. J. Kasales (2003)
J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. 58, B968-968
   Full Text »    PDF »
Accelerated Bone Aging in the Trichothiodystrophy Mouse Model.
K. E. M. Diderich, J. H. J. Hoeijmakers, and J. P. T. M. van Leeuwen (2003)
J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. 58, B969-969
   Full Text »    PDF »
Molecular Biology of Aging.
S. Kim (2003)
Arch Surg 138, 1051-1054
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Effect of DNA Repair on Aging of Transgenic Drosophila melanogaster: I. mei-41 Locus.
S. Symphorien and R. C. Woodruff (2003)
J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. 58, B782-787
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Is DNA Cut Out for a Long Life?.
D. Sinclair (2003)
Sci. Aging Knowl. Environ. 2003, pe8-8
   Abstract »    Full Text »
Primary fibroblasts of Cockayne syndrome patients are defective in cellular repair of 8-hydroxyguanine and 8-hydroxyadenine resulting from oxidative stress.
J. TUO, P. JARUGA, H. RODRIGUEZ, V. A. BOHR, and M. DIZDAROGLU (2003)
FASEB J 17, 668-674
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Aging and Genome Maintenance: Lessons from the Mouse?.
P. Hasty, J. Campisi, J. Hoeijmakers, H. van Steeg, and J. Vijg (2003)
Science 299, 1355-1359
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Senescence, aging, and malignant transformation mediated by p53 in mice lacking the Brca1 full-length isoform.
L. Cao, W. Li, S. Kim, S. G. Brodie, and C.-X. Deng (2003)
Genes & Dev. 17, 201-213
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Global genome removal of thymine glycol in Escherichia coli requires endonuclease III but the persistence of processed repair intermediates rather than thymine glycol correlates with cellular sensitivity to high doses of hydrogen peroxide.
M. Alanazi, S. A. Leadon, and I. Mellon (2002)
Nucleic Acids Res. 30, 4583-4591
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Detection and characterization of mechanisms of action of aneugenic chemicals.
E.M. Parry, J.M. Parry, C. Corso, A. Doherty, F. Haddad, T.F. Hermine, G. Johnson, M. Kayani, E. Quick, T. Warr, et al. (2002)
Mutagenesis 17, 509-521
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Mechanisms of Aging.
M. Yaar and M. S. Eller (2002)
Arch Dermatol 138, 1429-1432
   Full Text »    PDF »



To Advertise     Find Products


Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)