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Poitras TM, Komirishetty P, Areti A, Larouche M, Krishnan A, Chandrasekhar A, Munchrath E, Zochodne DW. Manipulation of the Myc Interactome to Enhance Nerve Regeneration in a Murine Model. Ann Neurol 2024; 96:216-230. [PMID: 38818756 DOI: 10.1002/ana.26950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study was undertaken to explore manipulation of the Myc protein interactome, members of an oncogene group, in enhancing the intrinsic growth of injured peripheral adult postmitotic neurons and the nerves they supply. New approaches to enhance adult neuron growth properties are a key strategy in improving nerve regeneration. METHODS Expression and impact of Myc interactome members c-Myc, N-Myc, Mad1, and Max were evaluated within naive and "preconditioned" adult sensory neurons and Schwann cells (SCs), using siRNA and transfection of CRISPR/Cas9 or luciferase reporter in vitro. Morphological, behavioral, and electrophysiological indices of nerve regeneration were analyzed in vivo. RESULTS c-Myc, N-Myc, Max, and Mad were expressed in adult sensory neurons and in partnering SCs. In vitro knockdown (KD) of either Mad1 or Max, competitive inhibitors of Myc, unleashed heightened neurite outgrowth in both naive uninjured or preconditioned adult neurons. In contrast, KD or inhibition of both isoforms of Myc was required to suppress growth. In SCs, Mad1 KD not only enhanced migratory behavior but also conditioned increased outgrowth in separately cultured adult sensory neurons. In vivo, local Mad1 KD improved electrophysiological, behavioral, and structural indices of nerve regeneration out to 60 days of follow-up. INTERPRETATION Members of the Myc interactome, specifically Mad1, are novel targets for improving nerve regeneration. Unleashing of Myc growth signaling through Mad1 KD enhances the regrowth of both peripheral neurons and SCs to facilitate better regrowth of nerves. ANN NEUROL 2024;96:216-230.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor M Poitras
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Prashanth Komirishetty
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Aparna Areti
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Matt Larouche
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Anand Krishnan
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Ambika Chandrasekhar
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Easton Munchrath
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Douglas W Zochodne
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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2
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Ghasemi N, Azizi H. Exploring Myc puzzle: Insights into cancer, stem cell biology, and PPI networks. Gene 2024; 916:148447. [PMID: 38583818 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
"The grand orchestrator," "Universal Amplifier," "double-edged sword," and "Undruggable" are just some of the Myc oncogene so-called names. It has been around 40 years since the discovery of the Myc, and it remains in the mainstream of cancer treatment drugs. Myc is part of basic helix-loop-helix leucine zipper (bHLH-LZ) superfamily proteins, and its dysregulation can be seen in many malignant human tumors. It dysregulates critical pathways in cells that are connected to each other, such as proliferation, growth, cell cycle, and cell adhesion, impacts miRNAs action, intercellular metabolism, DNA replication, differentiation, microenvironment regulation, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Myc, surprisingly, is used in stem cell research too. Its family includes three members, MYC, MYCN, and MYCL, and each dysfunction was observed in different cancer types. This review aims to introduce Myc and its function in the body. Besides, Myc deregulatory mechanisms in cancer cells, their intricate aspects will be discussed. We will look at promising drugs and Myc-based therapies. Finally, Myc and its role in stemness, Myc pathways based on PPI network analysis, and future insights will be explained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nima Ghasemi
- Faculty of Biotechnology, Amol University of Special Modern Technologies, Amol, Iran
| | - Hossein Azizi
- Faculty of Biotechnology, Amol University of Special Modern Technologies, Amol, Iran.
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3
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Krenz B, Lee J, Kannan T, Eilers M. Immune evasion: An imperative and consequence of MYC deregulation. Mol Oncol 2024. [PMID: 38957016 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
MYC has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a wide range of human tumors and has been described for many years as a transcription factor that regulates genes with pleiotropic functions to promote tumorigenic growth. However, despite extensive efforts to identify specific target genes of MYC that alone could be responsible for promoting tumorigenesis, the field is yet to reach a consensus whether this is the crucial function of MYC. Recent work shifts the view on MYC's function from being a gene-specific transcription factor to an essential stress resilience factor. In highly proliferating cells, MYC preserves cell integrity by promoting DNA repair at core promoters, protecting stalled replication forks, and/or preventing transcription-replication conflicts. Furthermore, an increasing body of evidence demonstrates that MYC not only promotes tumorigenesis by driving cell-autonomous growth, but also enables tumors to evade the host's immune system. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of how MYC impairs antitumor immunity and why this function is evolutionarily hard-wired to the biology of the MYC protein family. We show why the cell-autonomous and immune evasive functions of MYC are mutually dependent and discuss ways to target MYC proteins in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bastian Krenz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Theodor Boveri Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Mildred Scheel Early Career Center, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jongkuen Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Theodor Boveri Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Toshitha Kannan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Theodor Boveri Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Martin Eilers
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Theodor Boveri Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, Würzburg, Germany
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4
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Pal Choudhuri S, Girard L, Lim JYS, Wise JF, Freitas B, Yang D, Wong E, Hamilton S, Chien VD, Kim YJ, Gilbreath C, Zhong J, Phat S, Myers DT, Christensen CL, Mazloom-Farsibaf H, Stanzione M, Wong KK, Hung YP, Farago AF, Meador CB, Dyson NJ, Lawrence MS, Wu S, Drapkin BJ. Acquired Cross-Resistance in Small Cell Lung Cancer due to Extrachromosomal DNA Amplification of MYC Paralogs. Cancer Discov 2024; 14:804-827. [PMID: 38386926 PMCID: PMC11061613 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-23-0656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) presents as a highly chemosensitive malignancy but acquires cross-resistance after relapse. This transformation is nearly inevitable in patients but has been difficult to capture in laboratory models. Here, we present a preclinical system that recapitulates acquired cross-resistance, developed from 51 patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. Each model was tested in vivo against three clinical regimens: cisplatin plus etoposide, olaparib plus temozolomide, and topotecan. These drug-response profiles captured hallmark clinical features of SCLC, such as the emergence of treatment-refractory disease after early relapse. For one patient, serial PDX models revealed that cross-resistance was acquired through MYC amplification on extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA). Genomic and transcriptional profiles of the full PDX panel revealed that MYC paralog amplifications on ecDNAs were recurrent in relapsed cross-resistant SCLC, and this was corroborated in tumor biopsies from relapsed patients. We conclude that ecDNAs with MYC paralogs are recurrent drivers of cross-resistance in SCLC. SIGNIFICANCE SCLC is initially chemosensitive, but acquired cross-resistance renders this disease refractory to further treatment and ultimately fatal. The genomic drivers of this transformation are unknown. We use a population of PDX models to discover that amplifications of MYC paralogs on ecDNA are recurrent drivers of acquired cross-resistance in SCLC. This article is featured in Selected Articles from This Issue, p. 695.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreoshi Pal Choudhuri
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
- Department of Internal Medicine and Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Luc Girard
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Jun Yi Stanley Lim
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Jillian F. Wise
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Braeden Freitas
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
- Department of Internal Medicine and Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Di Yang
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
- Department of Internal Medicine and Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Edmond Wong
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Seth Hamilton
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
- Department of Internal Medicine and Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Victor D. Chien
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
- Department of Internal Medicine and Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Yoon Jung Kim
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Collin Gilbreath
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Jun Zhong
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sarah Phat
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - David T. Myers
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Hanieh Mazloom-Farsibaf
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Marcello Stanzione
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kwok-Kin Wong
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York
| | - Yin P. Hung
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Anna F. Farago
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Catherine B. Meador
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Nicholas J. Dyson
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Michael S. Lawrence
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Sihan Wu
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Benjamin J. Drapkin
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
- Department of Internal Medicine and Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
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5
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Jha RK, Kouzine F, Levens D. MYC function and regulation in physiological perspective. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1268275. [PMID: 37941901 PMCID: PMC10627926 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1268275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
MYC, a key member of the Myc-proto-oncogene family, is a universal transcription amplifier that regulates almost every physiological process in a cell including cell cycle, proliferation, metabolism, differentiation, and apoptosis. MYC interacts with several cofactors, chromatin modifiers, and regulators to direct gene expression. MYC levels are tightly regulated, and deregulation of MYC has been associated with numerous diseases including cancer. Understanding the comprehensive biology of MYC under physiological conditions is an utmost necessity to demark biological functions of MYC from its pathological functions. Here we review the recent advances in biological mechanisms, functions, and regulation of MYC. We also emphasize the role of MYC as a global transcription amplifier.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - David Levens
- Gene Regulation Section, Laboratory of Pathology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, MD, United States
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6
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Illi B, Nasi S. Myc beyond Cancer: Regulation of Mammalian Tissue Regeneration. PATHOPHYSIOLOGY 2023; 30:346-365. [PMID: 37606389 PMCID: PMC10443299 DOI: 10.3390/pathophysiology30030027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Myc is one of the most well-known oncogenes driving tumorigenesis in a wide variety of tissues. From the brain to blood, its deregulation derails physiological pathways that grant the correct functioning of the cell. Its action is carried out at the gene expression level, where Myc governs basically every aspect of transcription. Indeed, in addition to its role as a canonical, chromatin-bound transcription factor, Myc rules RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) transcriptional pause-release, elongation and termination and mRNA capping. For this reason, it is evident that minimal perturbations of Myc function mirror malignant cell behavior and, consistently, a large body of literature mainly focuses on Myc malfunctioning. In healthy cells, Myc controls molecular mechanisms involved in pivotal functions, such as cell cycle (and proliferation thereof), apoptosis, metabolism and cell size, angiogenesis, differentiation and stem cell self-renewal. In this latter regard, Myc has been found to also regulate tissue regeneration, a hot topic in the research fields of aging and regenerative medicine. Indeed, Myc appears to have a role in wound healing, in peripheral nerves and in liver, pancreas and even heart recovery. Herein, we discuss the state of the art of Myc's role in tissue regeneration, giving an overview of its potent action beyond cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Illi
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, National Research Council, c/o Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Sergio Nasi
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, National Research Council, c/o Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
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7
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Choudhuri SP, Girard L, Lim JYS, Wise JF, Freitas B, Yang D, Wong E, Hamilton S, Chien VD, Gilbreath C, Zhong J, Phat S, Myers DT, Christensen CL, Stanzione M, Wong KK, Farago AF, Meador CB, Dyson NJ, Lawrence MS, Wu S, Drapkin BJ. Acquired Cross-resistance in Small Cell Lung Cancer due to Extrachromosomal DNA Amplification of MYC paralogs. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.23.546278. [PMID: 37425738 PMCID: PMC10327110 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.23.546278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) presents as a highly chemosensitive malignancy but acquires cross-resistance after relapse. This transformation is nearly inevitable in patients but has been difficult to capture in laboratory models. Here we present a pre-clinical system that recapitulates acquired cross-resistance in SCLC, developed from 51 patient-derived xenografts (PDXs). Each model was tested for in vivo sensitivity to three clinical regimens: cisplatin plus etoposide, olaparib plus temozolomide, and topotecan. These functional profiles captured hallmark clinical features, such as the emergence of treatment-refractory disease after early relapse. Serially derived PDX models from the same patient revealed that cross-resistance was acquired through a MYC amplification on extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA). Genomic and transcriptional profiles of the full PDX panel revealed that this was not unique to one patient, as MYC paralog amplifications on ecDNAs were recurrent among cross-resistant models derived from patients after relapse. We conclude that ecDNAs with MYC paralogs are recurrent drivers of cross-resistance in SCLC. SIGNIFICANCE SCLC is initially chemosensitive, but acquired cross-resistance renders this disease refractory to further treatment and ultimately fatal. The genomic drivers of this transformation are unknown. We use a population of PDX models to discover that amplifications of MYC paralogs on ecDNA are recurrent drivers of acquired cross-resistance in SCLC.
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8
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Bhavsar SP. Metastasis in neuroblastoma: the MYCN question. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1196861. [PMID: 37274289 PMCID: PMC10233040 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1196861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Oncogenic drivers like MYCN in neuroblastoma subsets continues to present a significant challenge owing to its strong correlation with high-risk metastatic disease and poor prognosis. However, only a limited number of MYCN-regulatory proteins associated with tumor initiation and progression have been elucidated. In this minireview, I summarize the recent progress in understanding the functional role of MYCN and its regulatory partners in neuroblastoma metastasis.
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Talapatra J, Reddy MM. Lipid Metabolic Reprogramming in Embryonal Neoplasms with MYCN Amplification. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15072144. [PMID: 37046804 PMCID: PMC10093342 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15072144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor cells reprogram their metabolism, including glucose, glutamine, nucleotide, lipid, and amino acids to meet their enhanced energy demands, redox balance, and requirement of biosynthetic substrates for uncontrolled cell proliferation. Altered lipid metabolism in cancer provides lipids for rapid membrane biogenesis, generates the energy required for unrestricted cell proliferation, and some of the lipids act as signaling pathway mediators. In this review, we focus on the role of lipid metabolism in embryonal neoplasms with MYCN dysregulation. We specifically review lipid metabolic reactions in neuroblastoma, retinoblastoma, medulloblastoma, Wilms tumor, and rhabdomyosarcoma and the possibility of targeting lipid metabolism. Additionally, the regulation of lipid metabolism by the MYCN oncogene is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyotirmayee Talapatra
- The Operation Eyesight Universal Institute for Eye Cancer, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Bhubaneswar 751024, India
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT Deemed to Be University, Bhubaneswar 751024, India
| | - Mamatha M Reddy
- The Operation Eyesight Universal Institute for Eye Cancer, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Bhubaneswar 751024, India
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT Deemed to Be University, Bhubaneswar 751024, India
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10
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When Just One Phosphate Is One Too Many: The Multifaceted Interplay between Myc and Kinases. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054746. [PMID: 36902175 PMCID: PMC10003727 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Myc transcription factors are key regulators of many cellular processes, with Myc target genes crucially implicated in the management of cell proliferation and stem pluripotency, energy metabolism, protein synthesis, angiogenesis, DNA damage response, and apoptosis. Given the wide involvement of Myc in cellular dynamics, it is not surprising that its overexpression is frequently associated with cancer. Noteworthy, in cancer cells where high Myc levels are maintained, the overexpression of Myc-associated kinases is often observed and required to foster tumour cells' proliferation. A mutual interplay exists between Myc and kinases: the latter, which are Myc transcriptional targets, phosphorylate Myc, allowing its transcriptional activity, highlighting a clear regulatory loop. At the protein level, Myc activity and turnover is also tightly regulated by kinases, with a finely tuned balance between translation and rapid protein degradation. In this perspective, we focus on the cross-regulation of Myc and its associated protein kinases underlying similar and redundant mechanisms of regulation at different levels, from transcriptional to post-translational events. Furthermore, a review of the indirect effects of known kinase inhibitors on Myc provides an opportunity to identify alternative and combined therapeutic approaches for cancer treatment.
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11
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The "Superoncogene" Myc at the Crossroad between Metabolism and Gene Expression in Glioblastoma Multiforme. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24044217. [PMID: 36835628 PMCID: PMC9966483 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24044217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The concept of the Myc (c-myc, n-myc, l-myc) oncogene as a canonical, DNA-bound transcription factor has consistently changed over the past few years. Indeed, Myc controls gene expression programs at multiple levels: directly binding chromatin and recruiting transcriptional coregulators; modulating the activity of RNA polymerases (RNAPs); and drawing chromatin topology. Therefore, it is evident that Myc deregulation in cancer is a dramatic event. Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most lethal, still incurable, brain cancer in adults, and it is characterized in most cases by Myc deregulation. Metabolic rewiring typically occurs in cancer cells, and GBM undergoes profound metabolic changes to supply increased energy demand. In nontransformed cells, Myc tightly controls metabolic pathways to maintain cellular homeostasis. Consistently, in Myc-overexpressing cancer cells, including GBM cells, these highly controlled metabolic routes are affected by enhanced Myc activity and show substantial alterations. On the other hand, deregulated cancer metabolism impacts Myc expression and function, placing Myc at the intersection between metabolic pathway activation and gene expression. In this review paper, we summarize the available information on GBM metabolism with a specific focus on the control of the Myc oncogene that, in turn, rules the activation of metabolic signals, ensuring GBM growth.
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Abstract
Deregulation of transcription factors is critical to hallmarks of cancer. Genetic mutations, gene fusions, amplifications or deletions, epigenetic alternations, and aberrant post-transcriptional modification of transcription factors are involved in the regulation of various stages of carcinogenesis, including cancer initiation, progression, and metastasis. Thus, targeting the dysfunctional transcription factors may lead to new cancer therapeutic strategies. However, transcription factors are conventionally considered as "undruggable." Here, we summarize the recent progresses in understanding the regulation of transcription factors in cancers and strategies to target transcription factors and co-factors for preclinical and clinical drug development, particularly focusing on c-Myc, YAP/TAZ, and β-catenin due to their significance and interplays in cancer.
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13
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Pieroni S, Castelli M, Piobbico D, Ferracchiato S, Scopetti D, Di-Iacovo N, Della-Fazia MA, Servillo G. The Four Homeostasis Knights: In Balance upon Post-Translational Modifications. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232214480. [PMID: 36430960 PMCID: PMC9696182 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232214480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
A cancer outcome is a multifactorial event that comes from both exogenous injuries and an endogenous predisposing background. The healthy state is guaranteed by the fine-tuning of genes controlling cell proliferation, differentiation, and development, whose alteration induces cellular behavioral changes finally leading to cancer. The function of proteins in cells and tissues is controlled at both the transcriptional and translational level, and the mechanism allowing them to carry out their functions is not only a matter of level. A major challenge to the cell is to guarantee that proteins are made, folded, assembled and delivered to function properly, like and even more than other proteins when referring to oncogenes and onco-suppressors products. Over genetic, epigenetic, transcriptional, and translational control, protein synthesis depends on additional steps of regulation. Post-translational modifications are reversible and dynamic processes that allow the cell to rapidly modulate protein amounts and function. Among them, ubiquitination and ubiquitin-like modifications modulate the stability and control the activity of most of the proteins that manage cell cycle, immune responses, apoptosis, and senescence. The crosstalk between ubiquitination and ubiquitin-like modifications and post-translational modifications is a keystone to quickly update the activation state of many proteins responsible for the orchestration of cell metabolism. In this light, the correct activity of post-translational machinery is essential to prevent the development of cancer. Here we summarize the main post-translational modifications engaged in controlling the activity of the principal oncogenes and tumor suppressors genes involved in the development of most human cancers.
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14
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Xiong J, Barayan R, Louie AV, Lok BH. Novel therapeutic combinations with PARP inhibitors for small cell lung cancer: A bench-to-bedside review. Semin Cancer Biol 2022; 86:521-542. [PMID: 35917883 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2022.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is treated as a monolithic disease despite the evident intra- and intertumoral heterogeneity. Non-specific DNA-damaging agents have remained the first-line treatment for decades. Recently, emerging transcriptomic and genomic profiling of SCLC tumors identified distinct SCLC subtypes and vulnerabilities towards targeted therapeutics, including inhibitors of the nuclear enzyme poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARPi). SCLC cell lines and tumors exhibited an elevated level of PARP1 protein and mRNA compared to healthy lung tissues and other subtypes of lung tumors. Notable responses to PARPi were also observed in preclinical SCLC models. Clinically, PARPi monotherapy exerted variable benefits for SCLC patients. To date, research is being vigorously conducted to examine predictive biomarkers of PARPi response and various PARPi combination strategies to maximize the clinical utility of PARPi. This narrative review summarizes existing preclinical evidence supporting PARPi monotherapy, combination therapy, and respective translation to the clinic. Specifically, we covered the combination of PARPi with DNA-damaging chemotherapy (cisplatin, etoposide, temozolomide), thoracic radiotherapy, immunotherapy (immune checkpoint inhibitors), and many other novel therapeutic agents that target DNA damage response, tumor microenvironment, epigenetic modulation, angiogenesis, the ubiquitin-proteasome system, or autophagy. Putative biomarkers, such as SLFN11 expression, MGMT methylation, E2F1 expression, and platinum sensitivity, which may be predictive of response to distinct therapeutic combinations, were also discussed. The future of SCLC treatment is undergoing rapid change with a focus on tailored and personalized treatment strategies. Further development of cancer therapy with PARPi will immensely benefit at least a subset of biomarker-defined SCLC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqi Xiong
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ranya Barayan
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alexander V Louie
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Odette Cancer Centre - Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Benjamin H Lok
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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15
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Yang K, Tian C, Zhang C, Xiang M. The Controversial Role of IL-33 in Lung Cancer. Front Immunol 2022; 13:897356. [PMID: 35634336 PMCID: PMC9134343 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.897356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Interleukin-33 (IL-33) belongs to the interleukin-1 (IL-1) family, and its structure is similar to IL-18. When cells are damaged or undergo necrosis, mature form of IL-33 is secreted as a cytokine, which can activate the immune system and provide danger signals. The IL-33/ST2 signaling pathway is composed of IL-33, suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2), and IL-1 receptor accessory protein (IL-1RAcP). IL-33 has been reported to be strongly associated with lung cancer progression, and can exhibit opposite effects on lung cancer under different conditions. In this review, we have summarized the structure and basic functions of IL-33, its possible function in immune regulation, and its role in pulmonary fibrosis as well as in lung cancer. We have highlighted the dual regulation of IL-33 in lung cancer and proposed potential lung cancer treatment regimens, especially new immunotherapies, based on its mechanism of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keshan Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Cheng Tian
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Chengliang Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy of Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong Science and Technology University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ming Xiang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Ming Xiang,
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16
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Caeser R, Egger JV, Chavan S, Socci ND, Jones CB, Kombak FE, Asher M, Roehrl MH, Shah NS, Allaj V, Manoj P, Tischfield SE, Kulick A, Meneses M, Iacobuzio-Donahue CA, Lai WV, Bhanot U, Baine MK, Rekhtman N, Hollmann TJ, de Stanchina E, Poirier JT, Rudin CM, Sen T. Genomic and transcriptomic analysis of a library of small cell lung cancer patient-derived xenografts. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2144. [PMID: 35440124 PMCID: PMC9018685 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29794-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Access to clinically relevant small cell lung cancer (SCLC) tissue is limited because surgical resection is rare in metastatic SCLC. Patient-derived xenografts (PDX) and circulating tumor cell-derived xenografts (CDX) have emerged as valuable tools to characterize SCLC. Here, we present a resource of 46 extensively annotated PDX/CDX models derived from 33 patients with SCLC. We perform multi-omic analyses, using targeted tumor next-generation sequencing, RNA-sequencing, and immunohistochemistry to deconvolute the mutational landscapes, global expression profiles, and molecular subtypes of these SCLC models. SCLC subtypes characterized by transcriptional regulators, ASCL1, NEUROD1 and POU2F3 are confirmed in this cohort. A subset of SCLC clinical specimens, including matched PDX/CDX and clinical specimen pairs, confirm that the primary features and genomic and proteomic landscapes of the tumors of origin are preserved in the derivative PDX models. This resource provides a powerful system to study SCLC biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Caeser
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Jacklynn V Egger
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Shweta Chavan
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Nicholas D Socci
- Bioinformatics Core, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Caitlin Byrne Jones
- Bioinformatics Core, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Faruk Erdem Kombak
- Precision Pathology Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Marina Asher
- Precision Pathology Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Michael H Roehrl
- Precision Pathology Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Nisargbhai S Shah
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Viola Allaj
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Parvathy Manoj
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Sam E Tischfield
- Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Amanda Kulick
- Antitumor Assessment Core Facility, Molecular Pharmacology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY10065, USA
| | - Maximiliano Meneses
- Antitumor Assessment Core Facility, Molecular Pharmacology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY10065, USA
| | - Christine A Iacobuzio-Donahue
- Precision Pathology Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - W Victoria Lai
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Umeshkumar Bhanot
- Precision Pathology Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Marina K Baine
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Natasha Rekhtman
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Travis J Hollmann
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Elisa de Stanchina
- Antitumor Assessment Core Facility, Molecular Pharmacology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY10065, USA
| | - John T Poirier
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Charles M Rudin
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
- Molecular Pharmacology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
| | - Triparna Sen
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
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17
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Abstract
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a rapidly growing, highly metastatic, and relatively immune-cold lung cancer subtype. Historically viewed in the laboratory and clinic as a single disease, new discoveries suggest that SCLC comprises multiple molecular subsets. Expression of MYC family members and lineage-related transcription factors ASCL1, NEUROD1, and POU2F3 (and, in some studies, YAP1) define unique molecular states that have been associated with distinct responses to a variety of therapies. However, SCLC tumors exhibit a high degree of intratumoral heterogeneity, with recent studies suggesting the existence of tumor cell plasticity and phenotypic switching between subtype states. While SCLC plasticity is correlated with, and likely drives, therapeutic resistance, the mechanisms underlying this plasticity are still largely unknown. Subtype states are also associated with immune-related gene expression, which likely impacts response to immune checkpoint blockade and may reveal novel targets for alternative immunotherapeutic approaches. In this review, we synthesize recent discoveries on the mechanisms of SCLC plasticity and how these processes may impinge on antitumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate D Sutherland
- Australian Cancer Research Foundation (ACRF) Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Abbie S Ireland
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
| | - Trudy G Oliver
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
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18
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WSB1 regulates c-Myc expression through β-catenin signaling and forms a feedforward circuit. Acta Pharm Sin B 2022; 12:1225-1239. [PMID: 35530152 PMCID: PMC9072231 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2021.10.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The dysregulation of transcription factors is widely associated with tumorigenesis. As the most well-defined transcription factor in multiple types of cancer, c-Myc can transform cells by transactivating various downstream genes. Given that there is no effective way to directly inhibit c-Myc, c-Myc targeting strategies hold great potential for cancer therapy. In this study, we found that WSB1, which has a highly positive correlation with c-Myc in 10 cancer cell lines and clinical samples, is a direct target gene of c-Myc, and can positively regulate c-Myc expression, which forms a feedforward circuit promoting cancer development. RNA sequencing results from Bel-7402 cells confirmed that WSB1 promoted c-Myc expression through the β-catenin pathway. Mechanistically, WSB1 affected β-catenin destruction complex-PPP2CA assembly and E3 ubiquitin ligase adaptor β-TRCP recruitment, which inhibited the ubiquitination of β-catenin and transactivated c-Myc. Of interest, the effect of WSB1 on c-Myc was independent of its E3 ligase activity. Moreover, overexpressing WSB1 in the Bel-7402 xenograft model could further strengthen the tumor-driven effect of c-Myc overexpression. Thus, our findings revealed a novel mechanism involved in tumorigenesis in which the WSB1/c-Myc feedforward circuit played an essential role, highlighting a potential c-Myc intervention strategy in cancer treatment.
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Key Words
- ATM, serine-protein kinase ATM
- CHIP, chromatin immunoprecipitation
- CK1, casein kinase 1
- Cancer treatment
- EBP2, probable rRNA-processing protein EBP2
- ESC complex, elongin B/C-cullin 2/5-SOCS box containing ubiquitin ligase protein complex
- Feedback loop
- GSK3β, glycogen synthase kinase 3β
- HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma
- HIF1-α, hypoxia induced factor 1-alpha
- IHC, immunohistochemistry
- PLK1, serine/threonine-protein kinase PLK1
- PP2A, serine/threonine protein phosphatase 2A
- PROTAC, proteolysis targeting chimaera
- RhoGDI2, Rho GDP dissociation inhibitor 2
- TFs, transcription factors
- Transcription factors
- Tumorigenesis
- Ubiquitination-proteasome pathway
- WSB1
- WSB1, WD repeat and SOCS box containing 1
- c-Myc
- c-Myc, proto-oncogene c-Myc
- eIF4F, eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4F
- β-Catenin destruction complex
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19
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Yun W, Kim YJ, Lee G. Direct Conversion to Achieve Glial Cell Fates: Oligodendrocytes and Schwann Cells. Int J Stem Cells 2022; 15:14-25. [PMID: 35220289 PMCID: PMC8889328 DOI: 10.15283/ijsc22008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Glia have been known for its pivotal roles in physiological and pathological conditions in the nervous system. To study glial biology, multiple approaches have been applied to utilize glial cells for research, including stem cell-based technologies. Human glial cells differentiated from pluripotent stem cells are now available, allowing us to study the structural and functional roles of glia in the nervous system, although the efficiency is still low. Direct conversion is an advanced strategy governing fate conversion of diverse cell types directly into the desired lineage. This novel strategy stands as a promising approach for preliminary research and regenerative medicine. Direct conversion employs genetic and environmental cues to change cell fate to that with the required functional cell properties while retaining maturity-related molecular features. As an alternative method, it is now possible to obtain a variety of mature cell populations that could not be obtained using conventional differentiation methods. This review summarizes current achievements in obtaining glia, particularly oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wonjin Yun
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yong Jun Kim
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Gabsang Lee
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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20
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Epstein–Barr Virus Infection in Lung Cancer: Insights and Perspectives. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11020132. [PMID: 35215076 PMCID: PMC8878590 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11020132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer (LC) is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Tobacco smoke is the most frequent risk factor etiologically associated with LC, although exposures to other environmental factors such as arsenic, radon or asbestos are also involved. Additionally, the involvement of some viral infections such as high-risk human papillomaviruses (HR-HPVs), Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV), Jaagsiekte Sheep Retrovirus (JSRV), John Cunningham Virus (JCV), and Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) has been suggested in LC, though an etiological relationship has not yet been established. EBV is a ubiquitous gamma herpesvirus causing persistent infections and some lymphoid and epithelial tumors. Since EBV is heterogeneously detected in LCs from different parts of the world, in this review we address the epidemiological and experimental evidence of a potential role of EBV. Considering this evidence, we propose mechanisms potentially involved in EBV-associated lung carcinogenesis. Additional studies are warranted to dissect the role of EBV in this very frequent malignancy.
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21
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Kang X, Yang X, Guo X, Li Y, Yang C, Wei H, Chang J. OUP accepted manuscript. J Mol Cell Biol 2022; 14:6544677. [PMID: 35259279 PMCID: PMC9254884 DOI: 10.1093/jmcb/mjac014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Sense mutations in several conserved modifiable sites of histone H3 have been found to be strongly correlated with multiple tissue-specific clinical cancers. These clinical site mutants acquire a distinctively new epigenetic role and mediate cancer evolution. In this study, we mimicked histone H3 at the 56th lysine (H3K56) mutant incorporation in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) by lentivirus-mediated ectopic expression and analyzed the effects on replication and epigenetic regulation. The data show that two types of H3K56 mutants, namely H3 lysine 56-to-methionine (H3K56M) and H3 lysine 56-to-alanine (H3K56A), promote replication by recruiting more minichromosome maintenance complex component 3 and checkpoint kinase 1 onto chromatin compared with wild-type histone H3 and other site substitution mutants. Under this condition, the frequency of genomic copy number gain in H3K56M and H3K56A cells globally increases, especially in the Mycl1 region, a known molecular marker frequently occurring in multiple malignant cancers. Additionally, we found the disruption of H3K56 acetylation distribution in the copy-gain regions, which indicates a probable epigenetic mechanism of H3K56M and H3K56A. We then identified that H3K56M and H3K56A can trigger a potential adaptation to transcription; genes involved in the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway are partially upregulated, whereas genes associated with intrinsic apoptotic function show obvious downregulation. The final outcome of ectopic H3K56M and H3K56A incorporation in mESCs is an enhanced ability to form carcinomas. This work indicates that H3K56 site conservation and proper modification play important roles in harmonizing the function of the replication machinery in mESCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Kang
- Correspondence to: Xuan Kang, E-mail:
| | - Xiaomei Yang
- Research Center for Translational Medicine, East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xiaobo Guo
- Research Center for Translational Medicine, East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Yabin Li
- Research Center for Translational Medicine, East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Chenxin Yang
- Research Center for Translational Medicine, East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
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22
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Zhou Y, Gao X, Yuan M, Yang B, He Q, Cao J. Targeting Myc Interacting Proteins as a Winding Path in Cancer Therapy. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:748852. [PMID: 34658888 PMCID: PMC8511624 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.748852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
MYC, as a well-known oncogene, plays essential roles in promoting tumor occurrence, development, invasion and metastasis in many kinds of solid tumors and hematologic neoplasms. In tumors, the low expression and the short half-life of Myc are reversed, cause tumorigenesis. And proteins that directly interact with different Myc domains have exerted a significant impact in the process of Myc-driven carcinogenesis. Apart from affecting the transcription of Myc target genes, Myc interaction proteins also regulate the stability of Myc through acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation and other post-translational modifications, as well as competitive combination with Myc. In this review, we summarize a series of Myc interacting proteins and recent advances in the related inhibitors, hoping that can provide new opportunities for Myc-driven cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yihui Zhou
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaomeng Gao
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Meng Yuan
- Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bo Yang
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,The Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiaojun He
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,The Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ji Cao
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,The Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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23
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MYC Rules: Leading Glutamine Metabolism toward a Distinct Cancer Cell Phenotype. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13174484. [PMID: 34503295 PMCID: PMC8431116 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13174484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In the last decade, metabolic reprogramming has emerged as a driving characteristic of cancer cells. The MYC oncogene, a transcription factor, has become of growing interest as a fundamental driver of differential cancer cell metabolism. Furthermore, the non-essential amino acid glutamine is deemed to be an important nutrient for cancer cells. In fact, glutamine can integrate into a wide variety of metabolic pathways, from energy metabolism to nucleotide synthesis. This review offers a comprehensive and specific overview of recent discoveries in the regulation of MYC oncogene activation on glutamine metabolism in cancer cells. Abstract Metabolic reprogramming and deregulated cellular energetics are hallmarks of cancer. The aberrant metabolism of cancer cells is thought to be the product of differential oncogene activation and tumor suppressor gene inactivation. MYC is one of the most important oncogenic drivers, its activation being reported in a variety of cancer types and sub-types, among which are the most prevalent and aggressive of all malignancies. This review aims to offer a comprehensive overview and highlight the importance of the c-Myc transcription factor on the regulation of metabolic pathways, in particular that of glutamine and glutaminolysis. Glutamine can be extensively metabolized into a variety of substrates and be integrated in a complex metabolic network inside the cell, from energy metabolism to nucleotide and non-essential amino acid synthesis. Together, understanding metabolic reprogramming and its underlying genetic makeup, such as MYC activation, allows for a better understanding of the cancer cell phenotype and thus of the potential vulnerabilities of cancers from a metabolic standpoint.
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24
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Dorantes-Gilardi R, García-Cortés D, Hernández-Lemus E, Espinal-Enríquez J. k-core genes underpin structural features of breast cancer. Sci Rep 2021; 11:16284. [PMID: 34381069 PMCID: PMC8358063 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-95313-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene co-expression networks (GCNs) have been developed as relevant analytical tools for the study of the gene expression patterns behind complex phenotypes. Determining the association between structure and function in GCNs is a current challenge in biomedical research. Several structural differences between GCNs of breast cancer and healthy phenotypes have been reported. In a previous study, using co-expression multilayer networks, we have shown that there are abrupt differences in the connectivity patterns of the GCN of basal-like breast cancer between top co-expressed gene-pairs and the remaining gene-pairs. Here, we compared the top-100,000 interactions networks for the four breast cancer phenotypes (Luminal-A, Luminal-B, Her2+ and Basal), in terms of structural properties. For this purpose, we used the graph-theoretical k-core of a network (maximal sub-network with nodes of degree at least k). We developed a comprehensive analysis of the network k-core ([Formula: see text]) structures in cancer, and its relationship with biological functions. We found that in the Top-100,000-edges networks, the majority of interactions in breast cancer networks are intra-chromosome, meanwhile inter-chromosome interactions serve as connecting bridges between clusters. Moreover, core genes in the healthy network are strongly associated with processes such as metabolism and cell cycle. In breast cancer, only the core of Luminal A is related to those processes, and genes in its core are over-expressed. The intersection of the core nodes in all subtypes of cancer is composed only by genes in the chr8q24.3 region. This region has been observed to be highly amplified in several cancers before, and its appearance in the intersection of the four breast cancer k-cores, may suggest that local co-expression is a conserved phenomenon in cancer. Considering the many intricacies associated with these phenomena and the vast amount of research in epigenomic regulation which is currently undergoing, there is a need for further research on the epigenomic effects on the structure and function of gene co-expression networks in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Dorantes-Gilardi
- grid.261112.70000 0001 2173 3359Network Science Institute and Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115 USA ,grid.462201.3El Colegio de México, Tlalpan, Mexico City, 14110 Mexico ,grid.452651.10000 0004 0627 7633Computational Genomics Division, National Institute of Genomic Medicine (INMEGEN), Mexico City, 14610 Mexico
| | - Diana García-Cortés
- grid.452651.10000 0004 0627 7633Computational Genomics Division, National Institute of Genomic Medicine (INMEGEN), Mexico City, 14610 Mexico
| | - Enrique Hernández-Lemus
- grid.452651.10000 0004 0627 7633Computational Genomics Division, National Institute of Genomic Medicine (INMEGEN), Mexico City, 14610 Mexico ,grid.9486.30000 0001 2159 0001Centro de Ciencias de la Complejidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, 04510 Mexico
| | - Jesús Espinal-Enríquez
- grid.452651.10000 0004 0627 7633Computational Genomics Division, National Institute of Genomic Medicine (INMEGEN), Mexico City, 14610 Mexico ,grid.9486.30000 0001 2159 0001Centro de Ciencias de la Complejidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, 04510 Mexico
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25
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The Role of Non-Coding RNAs in the Regulation of the Proto-Oncogene MYC in Different Types of Cancer. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9080921. [PMID: 34440124 PMCID: PMC8389562 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9080921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2021] [Revised: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Alterations in the expression level of the MYC gene are often found in the cells of various malignant tumors. Overexpressed MYC has been shown to stimulate the main processes of oncogenesis: uncontrolled growth, unlimited cell divisions, avoidance of apoptosis and immune response, changes in cellular metabolism, genomic instability, metastasis, and angiogenesis. Thus, controlling the expression of MYC is considered as an approach for targeted cancer treatment. Since c-Myc is also a crucial regulator of many cellular processes in healthy cells, it is necessary to find ways for selective regulation of MYC expression in tumor cells. Many recent studies have demonstrated that non-coding RNAs play an important role in the regulation of the transcription and translation of this gene and some RNAs directly interact with the c-Myc protein, affecting its stability. In this review, we summarize current data on the regulation of MYC by various non-coding RNAs that can potentially be targeted in specific tumor types.
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26
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Abstract
Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a major cancer yet has long evaded extensive efforts to target it chemotherapeutically. Recent efforts to characterize its proteome and metabolome in a grade-defined manner has resulted in a global proteometabolomic reprogramming model yielding a number of potential drug targets, many of which are under the control of transcription factor and MYC proto-oncogene, bHLH transcription factor. Furthermore, through the use of conventional technologies such as immunohistochemistry, protein moonlighting, a phenomenon wherein a single protein performs more than one distinct biochemical or biophysical functions, is emerging as a second mode of operation for ccRCC metabolo-proteomic reprogramming. This renders the subcellular localization of the grade-defining biomarkers an additional layer of grade-defining ccRCC molecular signature, although its functional significance in ccRCC etiology is only beginning to emerge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatsuto Ishimaru
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA.
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27
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Drapkin BJ, Rudin CM. Advances in Small-Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) Translational Research. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2021; 11:cshperspect.a038240. [PMID: 32513672 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a038240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Over the past several years, we have witnessed a resurgence of interest in the biology and therapeutic vulnerabilities of small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). This has been driven in part through the development of a more extensive array of representative models of disease, including a diverse variety of genetically engineered mouse models and human tumor xenografts. Herein, we review recent progress in SCLC model development, and consider some of the particularly active avenues of translational research in SCLC, including interrogation of intratumoral heterogeneity, insights into the cell of origin and oncogenic drivers, mechanisms of chemoresistance, and new therapeutic opportunities including biomarker-directed targeted therapies and immunotherapies. Whereas SCLC remains a highly lethal disease, these new avenues of translational research, bringing together mechanism-based preclinical and clinical research, offer new hope for patients with SCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J Drapkin
- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Charles M Rudin
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, USA
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History of Extensive Disease Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment: Time to Raise the Bar? A Review of the Literature. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13050998. [PMID: 33673630 PMCID: PMC7957518 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13050998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) remains the most aggressive form of neuroendocrine tumor of the lung, for which treatment options remain limited. The introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors has modified for the first time the therapeutic strategies in patients with extensive disease after decades. New therapeutic approaches are required. Deeper knowledge of tumor biology is required to gain new insights into this complex disease. Abstract Several trials have tried for decades to improve the outcome of extensive disease small cell lung cancer (ED-SCLC) through attempts to modify the standard treatments. Nevertheless, platinum/etoposide combination and topotecan have remained respectively the first and the second line standard treatments for the last 40 years. With the advent of immunotherapy, this scenario has finally changed. Our review aims to provide an overview of the primary studies on the actual therapeutic strategies available for ED-SCLC patients, and to highlight emerging evidence supporting the use of immunotherapy in SCLC patients.
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29
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Reyes-González JM, Vivas-Mejía PE. c-MYC and Epithelial Ovarian Cancer. Front Oncol 2021; 11:601512. [PMID: 33718147 PMCID: PMC7952744 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.601512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is the deadliest of gynecological malignancies with approximately 49% of women surviving 5 years after initial diagnosis. The standard of care for ovarian cancer consists of cytoreductive surgery followed by platinum-based combination chemotherapy. Unfortunately, despite initial response, platinum resistance remains a major clinical challenge. Therefore, the identification of effective biomarkers and therapeutic targets is crucial to guide therapy regimen, maximize clinical benefit, and improve patient outcome. Given the pivotal role of c-MYC deregulation in most tumor types, including ovarian cancer, assessment of c-MYC biological and clinical relevance is essential. Here, we briefly describe the frequency of c-MYC deregulation in ovarian cancer and the consequences of its targeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeyshka M Reyes-González
- Center for Collaborative Research in Health Disparities, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Pablo E Vivas-Mejía
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico.,Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
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30
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Liu R, Shi P, Wang Z, Yuan C, Cui H. Molecular Mechanisms of MYCN Dysregulation in Cancers. Front Oncol 2021; 10:625332. [PMID: 33614505 PMCID: PMC7886978 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.625332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
MYCN, a member of MYC proto-oncogene family, encodes a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor N-MYC. Abnormal expression of N-MYC is correlated with high-risk cancers and poor prognosis. Initially identified as an amplified oncogene in neuroblastoma in 1983, the oncogenic effect of N-MYC is expanded to multiple neuronal and nonneuronal tumors. Direct targeting N-MYC remains challenge due to its "undruggable" features. Therefore, alternative therapeutic approaches for targeting MYCN-driven tumors have been focused on the disruption of transcription, translation, protein stability as well as synthetic lethality of MYCN. In this review, we summarize the latest advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms of MYCN dysregulation in cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruochen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, College of Sericulture, Textile and Biomass Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Cancer Center, Reproductive Medicine Center, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Reproductive Health (Chongqing Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Reproductive Health, Chongqing Population and Family Planning Science and Technology Research Institute), Chongqing, China
| | - Pengfei Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, College of Sericulture, Textile and Biomass Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Cancer Center, Reproductive Medicine Center, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Reproductive Health (Chongqing Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Reproductive Health, Chongqing Population and Family Planning Science and Technology Research Institute), Chongqing, China
| | - Zhongze Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, College of Sericulture, Textile and Biomass Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Cancer Center, Reproductive Medicine Center, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Chaoyu Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, College of Sericulture, Textile and Biomass Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Cancer Center, Reproductive Medicine Center, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hongjuan Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, College of Sericulture, Textile and Biomass Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Cancer Center, Reproductive Medicine Center, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Reproductive Health (Chongqing Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Reproductive Health, Chongqing Population and Family Planning Science and Technology Research Institute), Chongqing, China
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31
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Duffy MJ, O'Grady S, Tang M, Crown J. MYC as a target for cancer treatment. Cancer Treat Rev 2021; 94:102154. [PMID: 33524794 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2021.102154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 183] [Impact Index Per Article: 61.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The MYC gene which consists of 3 paralogs, C-MYC, N-MYC and L-MYC, is one of the most frequently deregulated driver genes in human cancer. Because of its high prevalence of deregulation and its causal role in cancer formation, maintenance and progression, targeting MYC is theoretically an attractive strategy for treating cancer. As a potential anticancer target, MYC was traditionally regarded as undruggable due to the absence of a suitable pocket for high-affinity binding by low molecular weight inhibitors. In recent years however, several compounds that directly or indirectly inhibit MYC have been shown to have anticancer activity in preclinical tumor models. Amongst the most detailed investigated strategies for targeting MYC are inhibition of its binding to its obligate interaction partner MAX, prevention of MYC expression and blocking of genes exhibiting synthetic lethality with overexpression of MYC. One of the most extensively investigated MYC inhibitors is a peptide/mini-protein known as OmoMYC. OmoMYC, which acts by blocking the binding of all 3 forms of MYC to their target promoters, has been shown to exhibit anticancer activity in a diverse range of preclinical models, with minimal side effects. Based on its broad efficacy and limited toxicity, OmoMYC is currently being developed for evaluation in clinical trials. Although no compound directly targeting MYC has yet progressed to clinical testing, APTO-253, which partly acts by decreasing expression of MYC, is currently undergoing a phase I clinical trial in patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Duffy
- UCD School of Medicine, Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland; UCD Clinical Research Centre, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin 4, Ireland.
| | - Shane O'Grady
- UCD School of Medicine, Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Minhong Tang
- UCD School of Medicine, Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - John Crown
- Department of Medical Oncology, St Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin 4, Ireland
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Abstract
Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) represents about 15% of all lung cancers and is marked by an exceptionally high proliferative rate, strong predilection for early metastasis and poor prognosis. SCLC is strongly associated with exposure to tobacco carcinogens. Most patients have metastatic disease at diagnosis, with only one-third having earlier-stage disease that is amenable to potentially curative multimodality therapy. Genomic profiling of SCLC reveals extensive chromosomal rearrangements and a high mutation burden, almost always including functional inactivation of the tumour suppressor genes TP53 and RB1. Analyses of both human SCLC and murine models have defined subtypes of disease based on the relative expression of dominant transcriptional regulators and have also revealed substantial intratumoural heterogeneity. Aspects of this heterogeneity have been implicated in tumour evolution, metastasis and acquired therapeutic resistance. Although clinical progress in SCLC treatment has been notoriously slow, a better understanding of the biology of disease has uncovered novel vulnerabilities that might be amenable to targeted therapeutic approaches. The recent introduction of immune checkpoint blockade into the treatment of patients with SCLC is offering new hope, with a small subset of patients deriving prolonged benefit. Strategies to direct targeted therapies to those patients who are most likely to respond and to extend the durable benefit of effective antitumour immunity to a greater fraction of patients are urgently needed and are now being actively explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles M Rudin
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Druckenmiller Center for Lung Cancer Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Elisabeth Brambilla
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Corinne Faivre-Finn
- Department of Clinical Oncology, The Christie Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
- Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Julien Sage
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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Ashrafizadeh M, Zarabi A, Hushmandi K, Moghadam ER, Hashemi F, Daneshi S, Hashemi F, Tavakol S, Mohammadinejad R, Najafi M, Dudha N, Garg M. C-Myc Signaling Pathway in Treatment and Prevention of Brain Tumors. Curr Cancer Drug Targets 2021; 21:2-20. [PMID: 33069197 DOI: 10.2174/1568009620666201016121005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Brain tumors are responsible for high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Several factors such as the presence of blood-brain barrier (BBB), sensitive location in the brain, and unique biological features challenge the treatment of brain tumors. The conventional drugs are no longer effective in the treatment of brain tumors, and scientists are trying to find novel therapeutics for brain tumors. In this way, identification of molecular pathways can facilitate finding an effective treatment. c-Myc is an oncogene signaling pathway capable of regulation of biological processes such as apoptotic cell death, proliferation, survival, differentiation, and so on. These pleiotropic effects of c-Myc have resulted in much fascination with its role in different cancers, particularly brain tumors. In the present review, we aim to demonstrate the upstream and down-stream mediators of c-Myc in brain tumors such as glioma, glioblastoma, astrocytoma, and medulloblastoma. The capacity of c-Myc as a prognostic factor in brain tumors will be investigated. Our goal is to define an axis in which the c-Myc signaling pathway plays a crucial role and to provide direction for therapeutic targeting in these signaling networks in brain tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milad Ashrafizadeh
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabanci University, Orta Mahalle, Universite Caddesi No. 27, Orhanli, Tuzla, 34956 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ali Zarabi
- Sabanci University Nanotechnology Research and Application Center (SUNUM), Tuzla, 34956, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Kiavash Hushmandi
- Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, Division of Epidemiology & Zoonoses, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ebrahim Rahmani Moghadam
- Department of Anatomical sciences, School of Medicine, Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Farid Hashemi
- DVM. Graduated, Young Researcher and Elite Club, Kazerun Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kazeroon, Iran
| | - Salman Daneshi
- Department of Public Health, School of Health, Jiroft University of Medical Sciences, Jiroft, Iran
| | - Fardin Hashemi
- Student Research Committee, Department of physiotherapy, Faculty of rehabilitation, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Shima Tavakol
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1449614535, Iran
| | - Reza Mohammadinejad
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman 7619813159, Iran
| | - Masoud Najafi
- Medical Technology Research Center, Institute of Health Technology, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Namrata Dudha
- Department of Biotechnology and Microbiology, School of Sciences, Noida International University, Gautam Budh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Manoj Garg
- Amity of Molecular Medicine and Stem cell Research (AIMMSCR), Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida-201313, India
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34
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The Molecular 'Myc-anisms' Behind Myc-Driven Tumorigenesis and the Relevant Myc-Directed Therapeutics. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21249486. [PMID: 33322239 PMCID: PMC7764474 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21249486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
MYC, a well-studied proto-oncogene that is overexpressed in >20% of tumors across all cancers, is classically known as “undruggable” due to its crucial roles in cell processes and its lack of a drug binding pocket. Four decades of research and creativity led to the discovery of a myriad of indirect (and now some direct!) therapeutic strategies targeting Myc. This review explores the various mechanisms in which Myc promotes cancer and highlights five key therapeutic approaches to disrupt Myc, including transcription, Myc-Max dimerization, protein stability, cell cycle regulation, and metabolism, in order to develop more specific Myc-directed therapies.
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35
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DeCaprio JA. Molecular Pathogenesis of Merkel Cell Carcinoma. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PATHOLOGY-MECHANISMS OF DISEASE 2020; 16:69-91. [PMID: 33228463 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pathmechdis-012419-032817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin with two distinct etiologies. Clonal integration of Merkel cell polyomavirus DNA into the tumor genome with persistent expression of viral T antigens causes at least 60% of all MCC. UV damage leading to highly mutated genomes causes a nonviral form of MCC. Despite these distinct etiologies, both forms of MCC are similar in presentation, prognosis, and response to therapy. At least three oncogenic transcriptional programs feature prominently in both forms of MCC driven by the virus or by mutation. Both forms of MCC have a high proliferative growth rate with increased levels of cell cycle-dependent genes due to inactivation of the tumor suppressors RB and p53, a strong MYC signature due to MYCL activation by the virus or gene amplification, and an attenuated neuroendocrine differentiation program driven by the ATOH1 transcription factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- James A DeCaprio
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA; .,Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.,Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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36
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Tu R, Chen Z, Bao Q, Liu H, Qing G. Crosstalk between oncogenic MYC and noncoding RNAs in cancer. Semin Cancer Biol 2020; 75:62-71. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2020.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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37
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Marinkovic D, Marinkovic T. The new role for an old guy: MYC as an immunoplayer. J Cell Physiol 2020; 236:3234-3243. [PMID: 33094851 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.30123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
As an oncogene, myelocytomatosis oncogene (MYC) is implicated in the concept of "oncogene addiction," where switching off the oncogene leads to the cell cycle arrest and cell differentiation. However, recent data suggest that MYC also controls the establishment of the tumour microenvironment and that "oncogene addiction" actually has a strong immune background. Evaluation of the MYC role in the immunoediting process led to the speculation that cancer just uses and distorts the physiological mechanism by which MYC normally prevents rapidly proliferating cells from the elicitation of an autoimmune response. Concordantly, elevated levels of MYC and induction of immunosuppressive molecules are observed during the processes of growth and development, tissue repair, placenta development, and so forth, implying that MYC may be involved in saving regular physiologically proliferating cells from the immune system attack. Even more, a growing body of evidence suggests MYC involvement in the shaping of the adaptive immune response, immunological memory development, and establishment of immunotolerance. This paper offers an overview of MYC actions in the context of modulation of the immune response in pathological and physiological conditions. The determination of such a new role for a well-known oncogene opens new perspectives in biomedicine, and consequently, in the treatment of various pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dragan Marinkovic
- Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
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38
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Tlemsani C, Pongor L, Elloumi F, Girard L, Huffman KE, Roper N, Varma S, Luna A, Rajapakse VN, Sebastian R, Kohn KW, Krushkal J, Aladjem MI, Teicher BA, Meltzer PS, Reinhold WC, Minna JD, Thomas A, Pommier Y. SCLC-CellMiner: A Resource for Small Cell Lung Cancer Cell Line Genomics and Pharmacology Based on Genomic Signatures. Cell Rep 2020; 33:108296. [PMID: 33086069 PMCID: PMC7643325 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Revised: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
CellMiner-SCLC (https://discover.nci.nih.gov/SclcCellMinerCDB/) integrates drug sensitivity and genomic data, including high-resolution methylome and transcriptome from 118 patient-derived small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cell lines, providing a resource for research into this "recalcitrant cancer." We demonstrate the reproducibility and stability of data from multiple sources and validate the SCLC consensus nomenclature on the basis of expression of master transcription factors NEUROD1, ASCL1, POU2F3, and YAP1. Our analyses reveal transcription networks linking SCLC subtypes with MYC and its paralogs and the NOTCH and HIPPO pathways. SCLC subsets express specific surface markers, providing potential opportunities for antibody-based targeted therapies. YAP1-driven SCLCs are notable for differential expression of the NOTCH pathway, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and antigen-presenting machinery (APM) genes and sensitivity to mTOR and AKT inhibitors. These analyses provide insights into SCLC biology and a framework for future investigations into subtype-specific SCLC vulnerabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Tlemsani
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Lorinc Pongor
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Fathi Elloumi
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Luc Girard
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Kenneth E Huffman
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Nitin Roper
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Sudhir Varma
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Augustin Luna
- cBio Center, Division of Biostatistics, Department of Data Sciences, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Vinodh N Rajapakse
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Robin Sebastian
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Kurt W Kohn
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Julia Krushkal
- Biometric Research Program, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, National Cancer Institute, NIH, 9609 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Mirit I Aladjem
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Beverly A Teicher
- Biometric Research Program, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, National Cancer Institute, NIH, 9609 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Paul S Meltzer
- Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - William C Reinhold
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - John D Minna
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Anish Thomas
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Yves Pommier
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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Cancer Metabolism: Phenotype, Signaling and Therapeutic Targets. Cells 2020; 9:cells9102308. [PMID: 33081387 PMCID: PMC7602974 DOI: 10.3390/cells9102308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 206] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 10/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant metabolism is a major hallmark of cancer. Abnormal cancer metabolism, such as aerobic glycolysis and increased anabolic pathways, has important roles in tumorigenesis, metastasis, drug resistance, and cancer stem cells. Well-known oncogenic signaling pathways, such as phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT, Myc, and Hippo pathway, mediate metabolic gene expression and increase metabolic enzyme activities. Vice versa, deregulated metabolic pathways contribute to defects in cellular signal transduction pathways, which in turn provide energy, building blocks, and redox potentials for unrestrained cancer cell proliferation. Studies and clinical trials are being performed that focus on the inhibition of metabolic enzymes by small molecules or dietary interventions (e.g., fasting, calorie restriction, and intermittent fasting). Similar to genetic heterogeneity, the metabolic phenotypes of cancers are highly heterogeneous. This heterogeneity results from diverse cues in the tumor microenvironment and genetic mutations. Hence, overcoming metabolic plasticity is an important goal of modern cancer therapeutics. This review highlights recent findings on the metabolic phenotypes of cancer and elucidates the interactions between signal transduction pathways and metabolic pathways. We also provide novel rationales for designing the next-generation cancer metabolism drugs.
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40
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Oh S, Song H, Freeman WM, Shin S, Janknecht R. Cooperation between ETS transcription factor ETV1 and histone demethylase JMJD1A in colorectal cancer. Int J Oncol 2020; 57:1319-1332. [PMID: 33174020 PMCID: PMC7646594 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2020.5133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
ETS variant 1 (ETV1) is an oncogenic transcription factor. However, its role in colorectal cancer has remained understudied. The present study demonstrated that ETV1 downregulation led to reduced HCT116 colorectal cancer cell growth and clonogenic activity. Furthermore, the ETV1 mRNA levels were enhanced in colorectal tumors and were associated with disease severity. In addition, ETV1 directly bound to Jumonji C domain-containing (JMJD) 1A, a histone demethylase known to promote colon cancer. ETV1 and JMJD1A, but not a catalytically inactive mutant thereof, cooperated in inducing the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)1 gene promoter that was similar to the cooperation between ETV1 and another histone demethylase, JMJD2A. RNA-sequencing revealed multiple potential ETV1 target genes in HCT116 cells, including the FOXQ1 and TBX6 transcription factor genes. Moreover, JMJD1A co-regulated FOXQ1 and other ETV1 target genes, but not TBX6, whereas JMJD2A downregulation had no impact on FOXQ1 as well as TBX6 transcription. Accordingly, the FOXQ1 gene promoter was stimulated by ETV1 and JMJD1A in a cooperative manner, and both ETV1 and JMJD1A bound to the FOXQ1 promoter. Notably, the overexpression of FOXQ1 partially reversed the growth inhibitory effects of ETV1 ablation on HCT116 cells, whereas TBX6 impaired HCT116 cell growth and may thereby dampen the oncogenic activity of ETV1. The latter also revealed for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, a potential tumor suppressive function of TBX6. Taken together, the present study uncovered a ETV1/JMJD1A-FOXQ1 axis that may drive colorectal tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangphil Oh
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Hoogeun Song
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | | | - Sook Shin
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Ralf Janknecht
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
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41
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Bian X, Wang X, Zhang Q, Ma L, Cao G, Xu A, Han J, Huang J, Lin W. The MYC Paralog-PARP1 Axis as a Potential Therapeutic Target in MYC Paralog-Activated Small Cell Lung Cancer. Front Oncol 2020; 10:565820. [PMID: 33134168 PMCID: PMC7578565 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.565820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) is highly expressed in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and has emerged as an attractive target for treatment of SCLC. However, the clinical significance of PARP1 expression in SCLC remains elusive. In this study, we showed that high PARP1 expression was associated with better overall survival (OS), and was positively correlated with the expression of MYC paralogs in patients with SCLC. We demonstrated that PARP1 was transcriptionally regulated by MYC paralogs. Integrative analysis of multiple RNA-seq data sets indicated that DNA damage response (DDR) genes involved in the replication stress response (RSR) and homologous recombination (HR) repair pathways were highly enriched in MYC paralog-addicted SCLC cell models and in human SCLC specimens. Targeting the MYC paralog-PARP1 axis with concomitant BET and PARP inhibition resulted in synergistic effects in MYC paralog-activated SCLC. Our study identified a critical PARP1 regulatory pathway, and provided evidence for a rational combination treatment strategy for MYC paralog-activated SCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Bian
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China.,University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China.,High Magnetic Field Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei, China
| | - Xiaolin Wang
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China.,University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China.,High Magnetic Field Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei, China
| | - Qiuyan Zhang
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Liying Ma
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China.,University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China.,High Magnetic Field Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei, China
| | - Guozhen Cao
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China.,University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China.,High Magnetic Field Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei, China
| | - Ao Xu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Department of Pathology, Anhui Provincial Hospital, Hefei, China
| | - Jinhua Han
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jun Huang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wenchu Lin
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China.,High Magnetic Field Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei, China
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42
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Southgate HED, Chen L, Curtin NJ, Tweddle DA. Targeting the DNA Damage Response for the Treatment of High Risk Neuroblastoma. Front Oncol 2020; 10:371. [PMID: 32309213 PMCID: PMC7145987 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.00371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite intensive multimodal therapy, the survival rate for high risk neuroblastoma (HR-NB) remains <50%. Most cases initially respond to treatment but almost half will subsequently relapse with aggressive treatment resistant disease. Novel treatments exploiting the molecular pathology of NB and/or overcoming resistance to current genotoxic therapies are needed before survival rates can significantly improve. DNA damage response (DDR) defects are frequently observed in HR-NB including allelic deletion and loss of function mutations in key DDR genes, oncogene induced replication stress and cell cycle checkpoint dysfunction. Exploiting defects in the DDR has been a successful treatment strategy in some adult cancers. Here we review the genetic features of HR-NB which lead to DDR defects and the emerging molecular targeting agents to exploit them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harriet E D Southgate
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Lindi Chen
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Nicola J Curtin
- Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Deborah A Tweddle
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
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43
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The MYCL and MXD1 transcription factors regulate the fitness of murine dendritic cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:4885-4893. [PMID: 32071205 PMCID: PMC7060746 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1915060117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
We previously found that MYCL is required by a Batf3-dependent classical dendritic cell subset (cDC1) for optimal CD8 T cell priming, but the underlying mechanism has remained unclear. The MAX-binding proteins encompass a family of transcription factors with overlapping DNA-binding specificities, conferred by a C-terminal basic helix-loop-helix domain, which mediates heterodimerization. Thus, regulation of transcription by these factors is dependent on divergent N-terminal domains. The MYC family, including MYCL, has actions that are reciprocal to the MXD family, which is mediated through the recruitment of higher-order activator and repressor complexes, respectively. As potent proto-oncogenes, models of MYC family function have been largely derived from their activity at supraphysiological levels in tumor cell lines. MYC and MYCN have been studied extensively, but empirical analysis of MYCL function had been limited due to highly restricted, lineage-specific expression in vivo. Here we observed that Mycl is expressed in immature cDC1s but repressed on maturation, concomitant with Mxd1 induction in mature cDC1s. We hypothesized that MYCL and MXD1 regulate a shared, but reciprocal, transcriptional program during cDC1 maturation. In agreement, immature cDC1s in Mycl -/- -deficient mice exhibited reduced expression of genes that regulate core biosynthetic processes. Mature cDC1s from Mxd1 -/- mice exhibited impaired ability to inhibit the transcriptional signature otherwise supported by MYCL. The present study reveals LMYC and MXD1 as regulators of a transcriptional program that is modulated during the maturation of Batf3-dependent cDC1s.
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44
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Baluapuri A, Wolf E, Eilers M. Target gene-independent functions of MYC oncoproteins. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2020; 21:255-267. [PMID: 32071436 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-020-0215-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Oncoproteins of the MYC family are major drivers of human tumorigenesis. Since a large body of evidence indicates that MYC proteins are transcription factors, studying their function has focused on the biology of their target genes. Detailed studies of MYC-dependent changes in RNA levels have provided contrasting models of the oncogenic activity of MYC proteins through either enhancing or repressing the expression of specific target genes, or as global amplifiers of transcription. In this Review, we first summarize the biochemistry of MYC proteins and what is known (or is unclear) about the MYC target genes. We then discuss recent progress in defining the interactomes of MYC and MYCN and how this information affects central concepts of MYC biology, focusing on mechanisms by which MYC proteins modulate transcription. MYC proteins promote transcription termination upon stalling of RNA polymerase II, and we propose that this mechanism enhances the stress resilience of basal transcription. Furthermore, MYC proteins coordinate transcription elongation with DNA replication and cell cycle progression. Finally, we argue that the mechanism by which MYC proteins regulate the transcription machinery is likely to promote tumorigenesis independently of global or relative changes in the expression of their target genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Apoorva Baluapuri
- Theodor Boveri Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Elmar Wolf
- Theodor Boveri Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Martin Eilers
- Theodor Boveri Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, Würzburg, Germany.
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45
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Massó-Vallés D, Beaulieu ME, Soucek L. MYC, MYCL, and MYCN as therapeutic targets in lung cancer. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2020; 24:101-114. [PMID: 32003251 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2020.1723548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality globally. Despite recent advances with personalized therapies and immunotherapy, the prognosis remains dire and recurrence is frequent. Myc is an oncogene deregulated in human cancers, including lung cancer, where it supports tumorigenic processes and progression. Elevated Myc levels have also been associated with resistance to therapy.Areas covered: This article summarizes the genomic and transcriptomic studies that compile evidence for (i) MYC, MYCN, and MYCL amplification and overexpression in lung cancer patients, and (ii) their prognostic significance. We collected the most recent literature regarding the development of Myc inhibitors where the emphasis is on those inhibitors tested in lung cancer experimental models and their potential for future clinical application.Expert opinion: The targeting of Myc in lung cancer is potentially an unprecedented opportunity for inhibiting a key player in tumor progression and maintenance and therapeutic resistance. Myc inhibitory strategies are on the path to their clinical application but further work is necessary for the assessment of their use in combination with standard treatment approaches. Given the role of Myc in immune suppression, a significant opportunity may exist in the combination of Myc inhibitors with immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Laura Soucek
- Peptomyc S.L., Edifici Cellex, Hospital Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain.,Edifici Cellex, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Barcelona, Spain.,Institució Catalana De Recerca I Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universitat Autònoma De Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
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46
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Shimada Y, Kudo Y, Maehara S, Matsubayashi J, Otaki Y, Kajiwara N, Ohira T, Minna JD, Ikeda N. Ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase-L1 has prognostic relevance and is a therapeutic target for high-grade neuroendocrine lung cancers. Cancer Sci 2020; 111:610-620. [PMID: 31845438 PMCID: PMC7004527 DOI: 10.1111/cas.14284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
High-grade neuroendocrine lung cancer (HGNEC), which includes small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) of the lung is a rapidly proliferating, aggressive form of lung cancer. The initial standard chemotherapeutic regimens of platinum doublets are recommended for SCLC and have been frequently used for LCNEC. However, there are currently no molecularly targeted agents with proven clinical benefit for this disease. The deubiquitinating enzyme ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase-L1 (UCHL1) is a neuroendocrine cell-specific product that is known as a potential oncogene in several types of cancer, but little is known about the biological function of UCHL1 and its therapeutic potential in HGNEC. In this study, we found that preclinical efficacy evoked by targeting UCHL1 was relevant to prognosis in HGNEC. UCHL1 was found to be expressed in HGNEC, particularly in cell lines and patient samples of SCLC, and the combined use of platinum doublets with selective UCHL1 inhibitors improved its therapeutic response in vitro. Immunohistochemical expression of UCHL1 was significantly associated with postoperative survival in patients with HGNEC and contributed towards distinguishing SCLC from LCNEC. Circulating extracellular vesicles (EV), including exosomes isolated from lung cancer cell lines and serum from early-stage HGNEC, were verified by electron microscopy and nanoparticle tracking analysis. Higher levels of UCHL1 mRNA in EV were found in the samples of patients with early-stage HGNEC than those with early-stage NSCLC and healthy donors' EV. Taken together, UCHL1 may be a potential prognostic marker and a promising druggable target for HGNEC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshihisa Shimada
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tokyo Medical University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.,Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Yujin Kudo
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tokyo Medical University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sachio Maehara
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tokyo Medical University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Jun Matsubayashi
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, Tokyo Medical University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoichi Otaki
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Naohiro Kajiwara
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tokyo Medical University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tatsuo Ohira
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tokyo Medical University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - John D Minna
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Norihiko Ikeda
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tokyo Medical University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
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47
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Hao YH, Lafita-Navarro MC, Zacharias L, Borenstein-Auerbach N, Kim M, Barnes S, Kim J, Shay J, DeBerardinis RJ, Conacci-Sorrell M. Induction of LEF1 by MYC activates the WNT pathway and maintains cell proliferation. Cell Commun Signal 2019; 17:129. [PMID: 31623618 PMCID: PMC6798382 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-019-0444-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background While regulated WNT activity is required for normal development and stem cell maintenance, mutations that lead to constitutive activation of the WNT pathway cause cellular transformation and drive colorectal cancer. Activation of the WNT pathway ultimately leads to the nuclear translocation of β-catenin which, in complex with TCF/LEF factors, promotes the transcription of genes necessary for growth. The proto-oncogene MYC is one of the most critical genes activated downstream the WNT pathway in colon cancer. Here, we investigate the converse regulation of the WNT pathway by MYC. Methods We performed RNA-seq analyses to identify genes regulated in cells expressing MYC. We validated the regulation of genes in the WNT pathway including LEF1 by MYC using RT-qPCR, Western blotting, and ChIP-seq. We investigated the importance of LEF1 for the viability of MYC-expressing cells in in fibroblasts, epithelial cells, and colon cells. Bioinformatic analyses were utilized to define the expression of MYC-regulated genes in human colon cancer and metabolomics analyses were used to identify pathways regulated by LEF1 in MYC expressing cells. Results MYC regulates the levels of numerous WNT-related genes, including the β-catenin co-transcription factor LEF1. MYC activates the transcription of LEF1 and is required for LEF1 expression in colon cancer cells and in primary colonic cells transformed by APC loss of function, a common mutation in colon cancer patients. LEF1 caused the retention of β-catenin in the nucleus, leading to the activation of the WNT pathway in MYC-expressing cells. Consequently, MYC-expressing cells were sensitive to LEF1 inhibition. Moreover, we describe two examples of genes induced in MYC-expressing cells that require LEF1 activity: the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor delta (PPARδ) and the Acyl CoA dehydrogenase 9 (ACAD9). Conclusions We demonstrated that MYC is a transcriptional regulator of LEF1 in colonic cells. Our work proposes a novel pathway by which MYC regulates proliferation through activating LEF1 expression which in turn activates the WNT pathway. Graphical Abstract ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Heng Hao
- Department of Cell Biology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | | | - Lauren Zacharias
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Children's Research Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | | | - Min Kim
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Spencer Barnes
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Jiwoong Kim
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Jerry Shay
- Department of Cell Biology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.,Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 76092, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Ralph J DeBerardinis
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Children's Research Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.,Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 76092, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Maralice Conacci-Sorrell
- Department of Cell Biology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA. .,Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 76092, Dallas, TX, USA. .,Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, 76092, TX, USA.
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48
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Calcium signaling regulates fundamental processes involved in Neuroblastoma progression. Cell Calcium 2019; 82:102052. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ceca.2019.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Revised: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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49
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Venkateswaran N, Lafita-Navarro MC, Hao YH, Kilgore JA, Perez-Castro L, Braverman J, Borenstein-Auerbach N, Kim M, Lesner NP, Mishra P, Brabletz T, Shay JW, DeBerardinis RJ, Williams NS, Yilmaz OH, Conacci-Sorrell M. MYC promotes tryptophan uptake and metabolism by the kynurenine pathway in colon cancer. Genes Dev 2019; 33:1236-1251. [PMID: 31416966 PMCID: PMC6719621 DOI: 10.1101/gad.327056.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Tumors display increased uptake and processing of nutrients to fulfill the demands of rapidly proliferating cancer cells. Seminal studies have shown that the proto-oncogene MYC promotes metabolic reprogramming by altering glutamine uptake and metabolism in cancer cells. How MYC regulates the metabolism of other amino acids in cancer is not fully understood. Using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), we found that MYC increased intracellular levels of tryptophan and tryptophan metabolites in the kynurenine pathway. MYC induced the expression of the tryptophan transporters SLC7A5 and SLC1A5 and the enzyme arylformamidase (AFMID), involved in the conversion of tryptophan into kynurenine. SLC7A5, SLC1A5, and AFMID were elevated in colon cancer cells and tissues, and kynurenine was significantly greater in tumor samples than in the respective adjacent normal tissue from patients with colon cancer. Compared with normal human colonic epithelial cells, colon cancer cells were more sensitive to the depletion of tryptophan. Blocking enzymes in the kynurenine pathway caused preferential death of established colon cancer cells and transformed colonic organoids. We found that only kynurenine and no other tryptophan metabolite promotes the nuclear translocation of the transcription factor aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR). Blocking the interaction between AHR and kynurenine with CH223191 reduced the proliferation of colon cancer cells. Therefore, we propose that limiting cellular kynurenine or its downstream targets could present a new strategy to reduce the proliferation of MYC-dependent cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niranjan Venkateswaran
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - M Carmen Lafita-Navarro
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Yi-Heng Hao
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Jessica A Kilgore
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Lizbeth Perez-Castro
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Jonathan Braverman
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Nofit Borenstein-Auerbach
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Min Kim
- Lydia Hill Department of Bioinformatics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Nicholas P Lesner
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Prashant Mishra
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Thomas Brabletz
- Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Center for Molecular Medicine, University Erlangen-Nurnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany
| | - Jerry W Shay
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA.,Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Ralph J DeBerardinis
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Noelle S Williams
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Omer H Yilmaz
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.,Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA
| | - Maralice Conacci-Sorrell
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA.,Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
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50
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Paglia S, Sollazzo M, Di Giacomo S, Strocchi S, Grifoni D. Exploring MYC relevance to cancer biology from the perspective of cell competition. Semin Cancer Biol 2019; 63:49-59. [PMID: 31102666 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2019.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cancer has long been regarded and treated as a foreign body appearing by mistake inside a living organism. However, now we know that cancer cells communicate with neighbours, thereby creating modified environments able to support their unusual need for nutrients and space. Understanding the molecular basis of these bi-directional interactions is thus mandatory to approach the complex nature of cancer. Since their discovery, MYC proteins have been showing to regulate a steadily increasing number of processes impacting cell fitness, and are consistently found upregulated in almost all human tumours. Of interest, MYC takes part in cell competition, an evolutionarily conserved fitness comparison strategy aimed at detecting weakened cells, which are then committed to death, removed from the tissue and replaced by fitter neighbours. During physiological development, MYC-mediated cell competition is engaged to eliminate cells with suboptimal MYC levels, so as to guarantee selective growth of the fittest and proper homeostasis, while transformed cells expressing high levels of MYC coopt cell competition to subvert tissue constraints, ultimately disrupting homeostasis. Therefore, the interplay between cells with different MYC levels may result in opposite functional outcomes, depending on the nature of the players. In the present review, we describe the most recent findings on the role of MYC-mediated cell competition in different contexts, with a special emphasis on its impact on cancer initiation and progression. We also discuss the relevance of competition-associated cell death to cancer disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Paglia
- CanceЯEvolutionLab, University of Bologna, Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Via Selmi 3, 40126, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Manuela Sollazzo
- CanceЯEvolutionLab, University of Bologna, Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Via Selmi 3, 40126, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Simone Di Giacomo
- CanceЯEvolutionLab, University of Bologna, Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Via Selmi 3, 40126, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Silvia Strocchi
- CanceЯEvolutionLab, University of Bologna, Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Via Selmi 3, 40126, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Daniela Grifoni
- CanceЯEvolutionLab, University of Bologna, Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Via Selmi 3, 40126, Bologna, Italy.
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