A Cytosolic ATM/NEMO/RIP1 Complex Recruits TAK1 To Mediate the NF-κB and p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK)/MAPK-Activated Protein 2 Responses to DNA Damage

In multiple tumor types, activation of the transcription factor NF-kappa B increases the resistance of tumor cells to anticancer therapies and contributes to tumor progression. Genotoxic stress induced by chemotherapy or radiation therapy triggers the ATM-dependent translocation of NF-kappa B essential modifier (NEMO), also designated I kappa B kinase gamma (IKK gamma), from the nucleus to the cytosol, resulting in I kappa B kinase activation by mechanisms not yet fully understood. RIP1 has been implicated in this response and found to be modified in cells with damaged DNA; however, the nature of the RIP1 modification and its precise role in the pathway remain unclear. Here, we show that DNA damage stimulates the formation of a cytosolic complex containing ATM, NEMO (IKK gamma), RIP1, and TAK1. We find that RIP1 is modified by SUMO-1 and ubiquitin in response to DNA damage and demonstrate that modified RIP1 is required for NF-kappa B activation and tumor cell survival. We show that ATM activates TAK1 in a manner dependent on RIP1 and NEMO. We also reveal TAK1 as a central mediator of the alternative DNA damage response pathway mediated by the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/MAPK-activated protein 2 (MAPKAP-2) kinases. These findings have translational implications and reveal RIP1 and TAK1 as potential therapeutic targets in chemoresistance.