Histone H2AX phosphorylation independent of ATM after X-irradiation in mouse liver and kidney in situ.

Histone H2AX undergoes phosphorylation at Ser-139 (gamma-H2AX) rapidly in response to DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) induced by ionizing radiation. The post-translational modification of H2AX plays a central role in responses to radiation, including the repair of DSBs. Although ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) kinase phosphorylates Ser-139 of H2AX in vitro, the post-translational modification pattern and the modifier of H2AX in organs in vivo are not yet well understood. In this study, we detected phosphorylation of H2AX at Ser-139 in cells of the mouse ear, liver, and kidney after X-irradiation. Moreover, the phosphorylation of H2AX was regulated depending on not only the cell type, but also the organ type and the localization of a cell type in an organ. Following X-irradiation, H2AX was phosphorylated in the liver and kidney of ATM gene knockout mice, suggesting that ATM kinase is not essential for phosphorylation of H2AX in these organs after X-irradiation in vivo.