Nek1 silencing slows down DNA repair and blocks DNA damage-induced cell cycle arrest

Never in mitosis A (NIMA)-related kinases (Nek) are evolutionarily conserved proteins structurally related to the Aspergillus nidulans mitotic regulator NIMA. Nek1 is one of the 11 isoforms of the Neks identified in mammals. Different lines of evidence suggest the participation of Nek1 in response to DNA damage, which is also supported by the interaction of this kinase with proteins involved in DNA repair pathways and cell cycle regulation. In this report, we show that cells with Nek1 knockdown (KD) through stable RNA interference present a delay in DNA repair when treated with methyl-methanesulfonate (MMS), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and cisplatin (CPT). In particular, interstrand cross links induced by CPT take much longer to be resolved in Nek1 KD cells when compared to wild-type (WT) cells. In KD cells, phosphorylation of Chk1 in response to CPT was strongly reduced. While WT cells accumulate in G2/M after DNA damage with MMS and H2O2, Nek1 KD cells do not arrest, suggesting that G2/M arrest induced by the DNA damage requires Nek1. Surprisingly, CPT-treated Nek1 KD cells arrest with a 4N DNA content similar to WT cells. This deregulation in cell cycle control in Nek1 KD cells leads to an increased sensitivity to genotoxic agents when compared to WT cells. These results suggest that Nek1 is involved in the beginning of the cellular response to genotoxic stress and plays an important role in preventing cell death induced by DNA damage.