Data from Metastasis Suppressor NM23-H1 Promotes Repair of UV-Induced DNA Damage and Suppresses UV-Induced Melanomagenesis

Reduced expression of the metastasis suppressor NM23-H1 is associated with aggressive forms of multiple cancers. Here, we establish that NM23-H1 (termed H1 isoform in human, M1 in mouse) and two of its attendant enzymatic activities, the 3′–5′ exonuclease and nucleoside diphosphate kinase, are novel participants in the cellular response to UV radiation (UVR)–induced DNA damage. NM23-H1 deficiency compromised the kinetics of repair for total DNA polymerase–blocking lesions and nucleotide excision repair of (6–4) photoproducts in vitro. Kinase activity of NM23-H1 was critical for rapid repair of both polychromatic UVB/UVA-induced (290–400 nm) and UVC-induced (254 nm) DNA damage, whereas its 3′–5′ exonuclease activity was dominant in the suppression of UVR-induced mutagenesis. Consistent with its role in DNA repair, NM23-H1 rapidly translocated to sites of UVR-induced (6–4) photoproduct DNA damage in the nucleus. In addition, transgenic mice hemizygous-null for nm23-m1 and nm23-m2 exhibited UVR-induced melanoma and follicular infundibular cyst formation, and tumor-associated melanocytes displayed invasion into adjacent dermis, consistent with loss of invasion-suppressing activity of NM23 in vivo. Taken together, our data show a critical role for NM23 isoforms in limiting mutagenesis and suppressing UVR-induced melanomagenesis. Cancer Res; 72(1); 133–43. ©2011 AACR.