RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Store Independent Ca2+ Entry Regulates the DNA Damage Response in Breast Cancer Cells JF bioRxiv FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory SP 2020.04.06.027946 DO 10.1101/2020.04.06.027946 A1 Monish Ram Makena A1 Myungjun Ko A1 Allatah X. Mekile A1 Donna K. Dang A1 John Warrington A1 Phillip Buckhaults A1 C. Conover Talbot, Jr. A1 Rajini Rao YR 2020 UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2020/04/07/2020.04.06.027946.abstract AB Although the mainstay of treatment for hormone responsive breast tumors is targeted endocrine therapy, many patients develop de novo or acquired resistance and are treated with chemotherapeutic drugs. The vast majority (80%) of estrogen receptor positive tumors also express wild type p53 protein that is a major determinant of the DNA damage response. Tumors that are ER+ and p53WT respond poorly to chemotherapy, although the underlying mechanisms are not completely understood. We describe a novel link between store independent Ca2+ entry (SICE) and resistance to DNA damaging drugs, mediated by the secretory pathway Ca2+-ATPase, SPCA2. In luminal ER+/PR+ breast cancer subtypes, SPCA2 levels are high and correlate with poor survival prognosis. Independent of ion pump activity, SPCA2 elevates baseline Ca2+ levels through SICE and drives cell proliferation. Attenuation of SPCA2 or depletion of extracellular Ca2+ increased mitochondrial ROS production, DNA damage and activation of the ATM/ATR-p53 axis leading to G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Consistent with these findings, SPCA2 knockdown confers chemosensitivity to DNA damaging agents including doxorubicin, cisplatin and ionizing radiation. We conclude that elevated SPCA2 expression in ER+ p53WT breast tumors drives pro-survival and chemotherapy resistance by suppressing the DNA damage response. Drugs that target storeindependent Ca2+ entry pathways may have therapeutic potential in treating receptor positive breast cancer.