1
|
Cantarella S, Vezzoli M, Carnevali D, Morselli M, Zemke NR, Montanini B, Daussy CF, Wodrich H, Teichmann M, Pellegrini M, Berk AJ, Dieci G, Ferrari R. Adenovirus small E1A directs activation of Alu transcription at YAP/TEAD- and AP-1-bound enhancers through interactions with the EP400 chromatin remodeler. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:9481-9500. [PMID: 39011896 PMCID: PMC11381368 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae615] [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: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Alu retrotransposons, which form the largest family of mobile DNA elements in the human genome, have recently come to attention as a potential source of regulatory novelties, most notably by participating in enhancer function. Even though Alu transcription by RNA polymerase III is subjected to tight epigenetic silencing, their expression has long been known to increase in response to various types of stress, including viral infection. Here we show that, in primary human fibroblasts, adenovirus small e1a triggered derepression of hundreds of individual Alus by promoting TFIIIB recruitment by Alu-bound TFIIIC. Epigenome profiling revealed an e1a-induced decrease of H3K27 acetylation and increase of H3K4 monomethylation at derepressed Alus, making them resemble poised enhancers. The enhancer nature of e1a-targeted Alus was confirmed by the enrichment, in their upstream regions, of the EP300/CBP acetyltransferase, EP400 chromatin remodeler and YAP1 and FOS transcription factors. The physical interaction of e1a with EP400 was critical for Alu derepression, which was abrogated upon EP400 ablation. Our data suggest that e1a targets a subset of enhancer Alus whose transcriptional activation, which requires EP400 and is mediated by the e1a-EP400 interaction, may participate in the manipulation of enhancer activity by adenoviruses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simona Cantarella
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Marco Vezzoli
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Davide Carnevali
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Marco Morselli
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Nathan R Zemke
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Barbara Montanini
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Coralie F Daussy
- Bordeaux University, CNRS UMR 5234, Fundamental Microbiology and Pathogenicity, Bordeaux, France
| | - Harald Wodrich
- Bordeaux University, CNRS UMR 5234, Fundamental Microbiology and Pathogenicity, Bordeaux, France
| | - Martin Teichmann
- Bordeaux University, Inserm U 1312, Bordeaux Institute of Oncology, 33076 Bordeaux, France
| | - Matteo Pellegrini
- Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Arnold J Berk
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Giorgio Dieci
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Roberto Ferrari
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Meena JK, Wang JH, Neill NJ, Keough D, Putluri N, Katsonis P, Koire AM, Lee H, Bowling EA, Tyagi S, Orellana M, Dominguez-Vidaña R, Li H, Eagle K, Danan C, Chung HC, Yang AD, Wu W, Kurley SJ, Ho BM, Zoeller JR, Olson CM, Meerbrey KL, Lichtarge O, Sreekumar A, Dacso CC, Guddat LW, Rejman D, Hocková D, Janeba Z, Simon LM, Lin CY, Pillon MC, Westbrook TF. MYC Induces Oncogenic Stress through RNA Decay and Ribonucleotide Catabolism in Breast Cancer. Cancer Discov 2024; 14:1699-1716. [PMID: 39193992 PMCID: PMC11372365 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-22-0649] [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: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
Upregulation of MYC is a hallmark of cancer, wherein MYC drives oncogenic gene expression and elevates total RNA synthesis across cancer cell transcriptomes. Although this transcriptional anabolism fuels cancer growth and survival, the consequences and metabolic stresses induced by excess cellular RNA are poorly understood. Herein, we discover that RNA degradation and downstream ribonucleotide catabolism is a novel mechanism of MYC-induced cancer cell death. Combining genetics and metabolomics, we find that MYC increases RNA decay through the cytoplasmic exosome, resulting in the accumulation of cytotoxic RNA catabolites and reactive oxygen species. Notably, tumor-derived exosome mutations abrogate MYC-induced cell death, suggesting excess RNA decay may be toxic to human cancers. In agreement, purine salvage acts as a compensatory pathway that mitigates MYC-induced ribonucleotide catabolism, and inhibitors of purine salvage impair MYC+ tumor progression. Together, these data suggest that MYC-induced RNA decay is an oncogenic stress that can be exploited therapeutically. Significance: MYC is the most common oncogenic driver of poor-prognosis cancers but has been recalcitrant to therapeutic inhibition. We discovered a new vulnerability in MYC+ cancer where MYC induces cell death through excess RNA decay. Therapeutics that exacerbate downstream ribonucleotide catabolism provide a therapeutically tractable approach to TNBC (Triple-negative Breast Cancer) and other MYC-driven cancers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jitendra K Meena
- Therapeutic Innovation Center (THINC), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Verna & Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Jarey H Wang
- Verna & Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Nicholas J Neill
- Therapeutic Innovation Center (THINC), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Verna & Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Dianne Keough
- The School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Nagireddy Putluri
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Panagiotis Katsonis
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Amanda M Koire
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Hyemin Lee
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Elizabeth A Bowling
- Therapeutic Innovation Center (THINC), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Verna & Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Siddhartha Tyagi
- Verna & Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Mayra Orellana
- Verna & Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Rocio Dominguez-Vidaña
- Verna & Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Heyuan Li
- Verna & Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Kenneth Eagle
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Charles Danan
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Hsiang-Ching Chung
- Verna & Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Andrew D Yang
- Therapeutic Innovation Center (THINC), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Verna & Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - William Wu
- Verna & Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Sarah J Kurley
- Verna & Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Brian M Ho
- Verna & Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Joseph R Zoeller
- Therapeutic Innovation Center (THINC), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Verna & Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Calla M Olson
- Therapeutic Innovation Center (THINC), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Verna & Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Kristen L Meerbrey
- Therapeutic Innovation Center (THINC), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Verna & Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Olivier Lichtarge
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Arun Sreekumar
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Clifford C Dacso
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Luke W Guddat
- The School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Dominik Rejman
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Dana Hocková
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Zlatko Janeba
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Lukas M Simon
- Therapeutic Innovation Center (THINC), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Charles Y Lin
- Therapeutic Innovation Center (THINC), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Verna & Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Monica C Pillon
- Therapeutic Innovation Center (THINC), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Verna & Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Thomas F Westbrook
- Therapeutic Innovation Center (THINC), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Verna & Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Vidal R, Leen E, Herold S, Müller M, Fleischhauer D, Schülein-Völk C, Papadopoulos D, Röschert I, Uhl L, Ade CP, Gallant P, Bayliss R, Eilers M, Büchel G. Association with TFIIIC limits MYCN localisation in hubs of active promoters and chromatin accumulation of non-phosphorylated RNA polymerase II. eLife 2024; 13:RP94407. [PMID: 39177021 PMCID: PMC11343564 DOI: 10.7554/elife.94407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2024] Open
Abstract
MYC family oncoproteins regulate the expression of a large number of genes and broadly stimulate elongation by RNA polymerase II (RNAPII). While the factors that control the chromatin association of MYC proteins are well understood, much less is known about how interacting proteins mediate MYC's effects on transcription. Here, we show that TFIIIC, an architectural protein complex that controls the three-dimensional chromatin organisation at its target sites, binds directly to the amino-terminal transcriptional regulatory domain of MYCN. Surprisingly, TFIIIC has no discernible role in MYCN-dependent gene expression and transcription elongation. Instead, MYCN and TFIIIC preferentially bind to promoters with paused RNAPII and globally limit the accumulation of non-phosphorylated RNAPII at promoters. Consistent with its ubiquitous role in transcription, MYCN broadly participates in hubs of active promoters. Depletion of TFIIIC further increases MYCN localisation to these hubs. This increase correlates with a failure of the nuclear exosome and BRCA1, both of which are involved in nascent RNA degradation, to localise to active promoters. Our data suggest that MYCN and TFIIIC exert an censoring function in early transcription that limits promoter accumulation of inactive RNAPII and facilitates promoter-proximal degradation of nascent RNA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Raphael Vidal
- Theodor Boveri Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biocenter, University of WürzburgWürzburgGermany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center MainfrankenWürzburgGermany
| | - Eoin Leen
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of LeedsLeedsUnited Kingdom
| | - Steffi Herold
- Theodor Boveri Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biocenter, University of WürzburgWürzburgGermany
| | - Mareike Müller
- Theodor Boveri Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biocenter, University of WürzburgWürzburgGermany
- Mildred Scheel Early Career Center, University Hospital WürzburgWürzburgGermany
| | - Daniel Fleischhauer
- Theodor Boveri Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biocenter, University of WürzburgWürzburgGermany
| | - Christina Schülein-Völk
- Theodor Boveri Institute, Core Unit High-Content Microscopy, Biocenter, University of WürzburgWürzburgGermany
| | - Dimitrios Papadopoulos
- Theodor Boveri Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biocenter, University of WürzburgWürzburgGermany
- Mildred Scheel Early Career Center, University Hospital WürzburgWürzburgGermany
| | - Isabelle Röschert
- Theodor Boveri Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biocenter, University of WürzburgWürzburgGermany
| | - Leonie Uhl
- Theodor Boveri Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biocenter, University of WürzburgWürzburgGermany
| | - Carsten P Ade
- Theodor Boveri Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biocenter, University of WürzburgWürzburgGermany
| | - Peter Gallant
- Theodor Boveri Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biocenter, University of WürzburgWürzburgGermany
| | - Richard Bayliss
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of LeedsLeedsUnited Kingdom
| | - Martin Eilers
- Theodor Boveri Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biocenter, University of WürzburgWürzburgGermany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center MainfrankenWürzburgGermany
| | - Gabriele Büchel
- Theodor Boveri Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biocenter, University of WürzburgWürzburgGermany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center MainfrankenWürzburgGermany
- Mildred Scheel Early Career Center, University Hospital WürzburgWürzburgGermany
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Li W, Yang C, Cheng Z, Wu Y, Zhou S, Qi X, Zhang Y, Hu J, Xie M, Chen C. Gallium complex K6 inhibits colorectal cancer by increasing ROS levels to induce DNA damage and enhance phosphatase and tensin homolog activity. MedComm (Beijing) 2024; 5:e665. [PMID: 39049965 PMCID: PMC11266899 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.665] [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: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. In the clinical realm, platinum-based drugs hold an important role in the chemotherapy of CRC. Nonetheless, a multitude of patients, due to tumor protein 53 (TP53) gene mutations, experience the emergence of drug resistance. This phenomenon gravely impairs the effectiveness of therapy and long-term prognosis. Gallium, a metallic element akin to iron, has been reported that has the potential to be used to develop new metal anticancer drugs. In this study, we screened and established the gallium complex K6 as a potent antitumor agent in both in vitro and in vivo. K6 exhibited superior efficacy in impeding the growth, proliferation, and viability of CRC cells carrying TP53 mutations compared to oxaliplatin. Mechanistically, K6 escalated reactive oxygen species levels and led deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage. Furthermore, K6 effectively suppressed the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (PKB)/glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3β) pathway, leading to the degradation of its downstream effectors myelocytomatosis (c-Myc) and Krueppel-like factor 5 (KLF5). Conversely, K6 diminished the protein expression of WW domain-containing protein 1 (WWP1) while activating phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) through c-Myc degradation. This dual action further demonstrated the potential of K6 as a promising therapeutic compound for TP53-mutated CRC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Li
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease MechanismsKunming Institute of ZoologyChinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
- Kunming College of Life SciencesUniversity of Chinese Academy SciencesKunmingChina
| | - Chuanyu Yang
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease MechanismsKunming Institute of ZoologyChinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
| | - Zhuo Cheng
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease MechanismsKunming Institute of ZoologyChinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
- Kunming College of Life SciencesUniversity of Chinese Academy SciencesKunmingChina
| | - Yuanyuan Wu
- School of Chemical Science and TechnologyYunnan UniversityKunmingChina
| | - Sihan Zhou
- School of Chemical Science and TechnologyYunnan UniversityKunmingChina
| | - Xiaowei Qi
- Department of Breast and Thyroid SurgerySouthwest HospitalThe First Affiliated Hospital of the Army Military Medical UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Breast and Thyroid SurgerySouthwest HospitalThe First Affiliated Hospital of the Army Military Medical UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Jinhui Hu
- The First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese MedicineChangshaChina
| | - Mingjin Xie
- School of Chemical Science and TechnologyYunnan UniversityKunmingChina
| | - Ceshi Chen
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease MechanismsKunming Institute of ZoologyChinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
- Academy of Biomedical EngineeringKunming Medical UniversityKunmingChina
- The Third Affiliated HospitalKunming Medical UniversityKunmingChina
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
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.
Collapse
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.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Neuß T, Chen MC, Wirges N, Usluer S, Oellinger R, Lier S, Dudek M, Madl T, Jastroch M, Steiger K, Schmitz W, Einwächter H, Schmid RM. Metabolic Reprogramming Is an Initial Step in Pancreatic Carcinogenesis That Can Be Targeted to Inhibit Acinar-to-Ductal Metaplasia. Cancer Res 2024; 84:2297-2312. [PMID: 39005053 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-23-2213] [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: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer and is crucial for cancer progression, making it an attractive therapeutic target. Understanding the role of metabolic reprogramming in cancer initiation could help identify prevention strategies. To address this, we investigated metabolism during acinar-to-ductal metaplasia (ADM), the first step of pancreatic carcinogenesis. Glycolytic markers were elevated in ADM lesions compared with normal tissue from human samples. Comprehensive metabolic assessment in three mouse models with pancreas-specific activation of KRAS, PI3K, or MEK1 using Seahorse measurements, nuclear magnetic resonance metabolome analysis, mass spectrometry, isotope tracing, and RNA sequencing analysis revealed a switch from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis in ADM. Blocking the metabolic switch attenuated ADM formation. Furthermore, mitochondrial metabolism was required for de novo synthesis of serine and glutathione (GSH) but not for ATP production. MYC mediated the increase in GSH intermediates in ADM, and inhibition of GSH synthesis suppressed ADM development. This study thus identifies metabolic changes and vulnerabilities in the early stages of pancreatic carcinogenesis. Significance: Metabolic reprogramming from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis mediated by MYC plays a crucial role in the development of pancreatic cancer, revealing a mechanism driving tumorigenesis and potential therapeutic targets. See related commentary by Storz, p. 2225.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thorsten Neuß
- Department of Clinical Medicine-Clinical Department for Internal Medicine II, TUM School of Medicine and Health, University Medical Center, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Min-Chun Chen
- Department of Clinical Medicine-Clinical Department for Internal Medicine II, TUM School of Medicine and Health, University Medical Center, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Nils Wirges
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Institute of Pathology, Comparative Experimental Pathology, Munich, Germany
| | - Sinem Usluer
- Gottfried Schatz Research Center for Cell Signaling, Metabolism and Aging, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Medical University of Graz, BioTechMed-Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Rupert Oellinger
- TUM School of Medicine and Health, Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Svenja Lier
- Department of Clinical Medicine-Clinical Department for Internal Medicine II, TUM School of Medicine and Health, University Medical Center, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Michael Dudek
- TUM School of Medicine and Health, Institute of Molecular Immunology and Experimental Oncology, University Medical Center, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Tobias Madl
- Gottfried Schatz Research Center for Cell Signaling, Metabolism and Aging, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Medical University of Graz, BioTechMed-Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Martin Jastroch
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Katja Steiger
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Institute of Pathology, Comparative Experimental Pathology, Munich, Germany
| | - Werner Schmitz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Theodor Boveri Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Henrik Einwächter
- Department of Clinical Medicine-Clinical Department for Internal Medicine II, TUM School of Medicine and Health, University Medical Center, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Roland M Schmid
- Department of Clinical Medicine-Clinical Department for Internal Medicine II, TUM School of Medicine and Health, University Medical Center, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
MacPherson-Hawthorne K, Sears RC. Hold the MYCrophone: MYC Invades Enhancers to Control Cancer-Type Gene Programs. Cancer Res 2024; 84:2227-2228. [PMID: 38695859 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-24-1376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
MYC is an oncogenic transcription factor that binds gene promoters to facilitate oncogenic gene expression. When overexpressed, as is the case in most human cancers, MYC also invades active enhancers-cis-regulatory elements that are critical for regulating gene expression. In previous studies, the regulatory significance of MYC enhancer invasion in cancer cells has been debated. In their study published in Nature Genetics, Jakobsen and colleagues establish a new role for MYC in enhancer regions: regulating cancer type-specific gene programs. Their work reveals a mechanism in which MYC cooperates with other oncogenic transcription factors to recruit epigenetic regulators to enhancers, resulting in an epigenetic "switch" that promotes enhancer activation through BRD4 and RNA polymerase II. This activity was highly cancer-type specific, highlighting gene expression programs that predicted clinical outcome in a subtype-specific manner in patients with breast cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Rosalie C Sears
- Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
- Brenden-Colson Center for Pancreatic Care, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Ueno T, Otani S, Date Y, Katsuma Y, Nagayoshi Y, Ito T, Ii H, Kageyama S, Nakata S, Ito K. Myc upregulates Ggct, γ-glutamylcyclotransferase to promote development of p53-deficient osteosarcoma. Cancer Sci 2024. [PMID: 38924236 DOI: 10.1111/cas.16255] [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: 04/04/2024] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Osteosarcoma (OS) in humans is characterized by alterations in the TP53 gene. In mice, loss of p53 triggers OS development, for which c-Myc (Myc) oncogenicity is indispensable. However, little is known about which genes are targeted by Myc to promote tumorigenesis. Here, we examined the role of γ-glutamylcyclotransferase (Ggct) which is a component enzyme of the γ-glutamyl cycle essential for glutathione homeostasis, in human and mouse OS development. We found that GGCT is a poor prognostic factor for human OS, and that deletion of Ggct suppresses p53-deficient osteosarcomagenesis in mice. Myc upregulates Ggct directly by binding to the Ggct promoter, and deletion of a Myc binding site therein by genome editing attenuated the tumorigenic potential of p53-deficient OS cells. Taken together, these results show a rationale that GGCT is widely upregulated in cancer cells and solidify its suitability as a target for anticancer drugs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tomoya Ueno
- Department of Molecular Tumor Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Shohei Otani
- Department of Molecular Tumor Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Yuki Date
- Department of Molecular Tumor Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Yu Katsuma
- Department of Molecular Tumor Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Yuma Nagayoshi
- Department of Molecular Tumor Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Tomoko Ito
- Department of Molecular Tumor Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Hiromi Ii
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Susumu Kageyama
- Department of Urology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Susumu Nakata
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kosei Ito
- Department of Molecular Tumor Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Ülgen E, Gerlevik U, Gerlevik S, Oktay Y, Sezerman OU, Turcan Ş, Ozduman K. A microdeletion event at 19q13.43 in IDH-mutant astrocytomas is strongly correlated with MYC overexpression. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2024; 12:95. [PMID: 38877600 PMCID: PMC11177509 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-024-01811-1] [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: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024] Open
Abstract
MYC dysregulation is pivotal in the onset and progression of IDH-mutant gliomas, mostly driven by copy-number alterations, regulatory element alterations, or epigenetic changes. Our pilot analysis uncovered instances of relative MYC overexpression without alterations in the proximal MYC network (PMN), prompting a deeper investigation into potential novel oncogenic mechanisms. Analysing comprehensive genomics profiles of 236 "IDH-mutant 1p/19q non-co-deleted" lower-grade gliomas from The Cancer Genome Atlas, we identified somatic genomic alterations within the PMN. In tumours without PMN-alterations but with MYC-overexpression, genes correlated with MYC-overexpression were identified. Our analyses yielded that 86/236 of astrocytomas exhibited no PMN-alterations, a subset of 21/86 displaying relative MYC overexpression. Within this subset, we discovered 42 genes inversely correlated with relative MYC expression, all on 19q. Further analysis pinpointed a minimal common region at 19q13.43, encompassing 15 genes. The inverse correlations of these 15 genes with relative MYC overexpression were re-confirmed using independent scRNAseq data. Further, the micro-deleted astrocytoma subset displayed significantly higher genomic instability compared to WT cases, but lower instability compared to PMN-hit cases. This newly identified 19q micro-deletion represents a potential novel mechanism underlying MYC dysregulation in astrocytomas. Given the prominence of 19q loss in IDH-mutant gliomas, our findings bear significant implications for understanding gliomagenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ege Ülgen
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, School of Medicine, Acibadem University, Istanbul, Turkey
- Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Acibadem University, 34752, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Umut Gerlevik
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Sıla Gerlevik
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Yavuz Oktay
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, Turkey
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Osman Uğur Sezerman
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, School of Medicine, Acibadem University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Şevin Turcan
- Neurology Clinic and National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital and Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Koray Ozduman
- Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Acibadem University, 34752, Istanbul, Turkey.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Yang J, Chung CI, Koach J, Liu H, Navalkar A, He H, Ma Z, Zhao Q, Yang X, He L, Mittag T, Shen Y, Weiss WA, Shu X. MYC phase separation selectively modulates the transcriptome. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2024:10.1038/s41594-024-01322-6. [PMID: 38811792 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-024-01322-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Dysregulation and enhanced expression of MYC transcription factors (TFs) including MYC and MYCN contribute to the majority of human cancers. For example, MYCN is amplified up to several hundredfold in high-risk neuroblastoma. The resulting overexpression of N-myc aberrantly activates genes that are not activated at low N-myc levels and drives cell proliferation. Whether increasing N-myc levels simply mediates binding to lower-affinity binding sites in the genome or fundamentally changes the activation process remains unclear. One such activation mechanism that could become important above threshold levels of N-myc is the formation of aberrant transcriptional condensates through phase separation. Phase separation has recently been linked to transcriptional regulation, but the extent to which it contributes to gene activation remains an open question. Here we characterized the phase behavior of N-myc and showed that it can form dynamic condensates that have transcriptional hallmarks. We tested the role of phase separation in N-myc-regulated transcription by using a chemogenetic tool that allowed us to compare non-phase-separated and phase-separated conditions at equivalent N-myc levels, both of which showed a strong impact on gene expression compared to no N-myc expression. Interestingly, we discovered that only a small percentage (<3%) of N-myc-regulated genes is further modulated by phase separation but that these events include the activation of key oncogenes and the repression of tumor suppressors. Indeed, phase separation increases cell proliferation, corroborating the biological effects of the transcriptional changes. However, our results also show that >97% of N-myc-regulated genes are not affected by N-myc phase separation, demonstrating that soluble complexes of TFs with the transcriptional machinery are sufficient to activate transcription.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Junjiao Yang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Chan-I Chung
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jessica Koach
- Departments of Neurology, Neurological Surgery, Pediatrics, and Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Hongjiang Liu
- Institute for Human Genetics, Departments of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ambuja Navalkar
- Department of Structural Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Hao He
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Zhimin Ma
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Qian Zhao
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Xiaoyu Yang
- Institute for Human Genetics, Departments of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Liang He
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Tanja Mittag
- Department of Structural Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Yin Shen
- Institute for Human Genetics, Departments of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - William A Weiss
- Departments of Neurology, Neurological Surgery, Pediatrics, and Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Xiaokun Shu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Dong J, Scott TG, Mukherjee R, Guertin MJ. ZNF143 binds DNA and stimulates transcripstion initiation to activate and repress direct target genes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.13.594008. [PMID: 38798607 PMCID: PMC11118474 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.13.594008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Transcription factors bind to sequence motifs and act as activators or repressors. Transcription factors interface with a constellation of accessory cofactors to regulate distinct mechanistic steps to regulate transcription. We rapidly degraded the essential and ubiquitously expressed transcription factor ZNF143 to determine its function in the transcription cycle. ZNF143 facilitates RNA Polymerase initiation and activates gene expression. ZNF143 binds the promoter of nearly all its activated target genes. ZNF143 also binds near the site of genic transcription initiation to directly repress a subset of genes. Although ZNF143 stimulates initiation at ZNF143-repressed genes (i.e. those that increase expression upon ZNF143 depletion), the molecular context of binding leads to cis repression. ZNF143 competes with other more efficient activators for promoter access, physically occludes transcription initiation sites and promoter-proximal sequence elements, and acts as a molecular roadblock to RNA Polymerases during early elongation. The term context specific is often invoked to describe transcription factors that have both activation and repression functions. We define the context and molecular mechanisms of ZNF143-mediated cis activation and repression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jinhong Dong
- Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling, University of Connecticut, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Thomas G Scott
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Rudradeep Mukherjee
- Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling, University of Connecticut, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Michael J Guertin
- Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling, University of Connecticut, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, University of Connecticut, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Freie B, Carroll PA, Varnum-Finney BJ, Ramsey EL, Ramani V, Bernstein I, Eisenman RN. A germline point mutation in the MYC-FBW7 phosphodegron initiates hematopoietic malignancies. Genes Dev 2024; 38:253-272. [PMID: 38565249 PMCID: PMC11065175 DOI: 10.1101/gad.351292.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Oncogenic activation of MYC in cancers predominantly involves increased transcription rather than coding region mutations. However, MYC-dependent lymphomas frequently acquire point mutations in the MYC phosphodegron, including at threonine 58 (T58), where phosphorylation permits binding via the FBW7 ubiquitin ligase triggering MYC degradation. To understand how T58 phosphorylation functions in normal cell physiology, we introduced an alanine mutation at T58 (T58A) into the endogenous c-Myc locus in the mouse germline. While MYC-T58A mice develop normally, lymphomas and myeloid leukemias emerge in ∼60% of adult homozygous T58A mice. We found that primitive hematopoietic progenitor cells from MYC-T58A mice exhibit aberrant self-renewal normally associated with hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and up-regulate a subset of MYC target genes important in maintaining stem/progenitor cell balance. In lymphocytes, genomic occupancy by MYC-T58A was increased at all promoters compared with WT MYC, while genes differentially expressed in a T58A-dependent manner were significantly more proximal to MYC-bound enhancers. MYC-T58A lymphocyte progenitors exhibited metabolic alterations and decreased activation of inflammatory and apoptotic pathways. Our data demonstrate that a single point mutation stabilizing MYC is sufficient to skew target gene expression, producing a profound gain of function in multipotential hematopoietic progenitors associated with self-renewal and initiation of lymphomas and leukemias.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brian Freie
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA;
| | - Patrick A Carroll
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA
| | | | - Erin L Ramsey
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA
| | - Vijay Ramani
- Gladstone Institute for Data Science and Biotechnology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, USA
| | - Irwin Bernstein
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA
| | - Robert N Eisenman
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Jin C, Einig E, Xu W, Kollampally RB, Schlosser A, Flentje M, Popov N. The dimeric deubiquitinase USP28 integrates 53BP1 and MYC functions to limit DNA damage. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:3011-3030. [PMID: 38227944 PMCID: PMC11024517 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae004] [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: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
DNA replication is a major source of endogenous DNA damage in tumor cells and a key target of cellular response to genotoxic stress. DNA replication can be deregulated by oncoproteins, such as transcription factor MYC, aberrantly activated in many human cancers. MYC is stringently regulated by the ubiquitin system - for example, ubiquitination controls recruitment of the elongation factor PAF1c, instrumental in MYC activity. Curiously, a key MYC-targeting deubiquitinase USP28 also controls cellular response to DNA damage via the mediator protein 53BP1. USP28 forms stable dimers, but the biological role of USP28 dimerization is unknown. We show here that dimerization limits USP28 activity and restricts recruitment of PAF1c by MYC. Expression of monomeric USP28 stabilizes MYC and promotes PAF1c recruitment, leading to ectopic DNA synthesis and replication-associated DNA damage. USP28 dimerization is stimulated by 53BP1, which selectively binds USP28 dimers. Genotoxic stress diminishes 53BP1-USP28 interaction, promotes disassembly of USP28 dimers and stimulates PAF1c recruitment by MYC. This triggers firing of DNA replication origins during early response to genotoxins and exacerbates DNA damage. We propose that dimerization of USP28 prevents ectopic DNA replication at transcriptionally active chromatin to maintain genome stability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chao Jin
- Department of Medical Oncology and Pulmonology, University Hospital Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str 14, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- DFG Cluster of Excellence 2180 ‘Image-guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies’ (iFIT), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Elias Einig
- Department of Medical Oncology and Pulmonology, University Hospital Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str 14, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- DFG Cluster of Excellence 2180 ‘Image-guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies’ (iFIT), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Wenshan Xu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ravi Babu Kollampally
- Department of Medical Oncology and Pulmonology, University Hospital Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str 14, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- DFG Cluster of Excellence 2180 ‘Image-guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies’ (iFIT), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Schlosser
- Rudolf Virchow Center, Center for Integrative and Translational Bioimaging, University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Michael Flentje
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Nikita Popov
- Department of Medical Oncology and Pulmonology, University Hospital Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str 14, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- DFG Cluster of Excellence 2180 ‘Image-guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies’ (iFIT), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Streeter SA, Williams AG, Evans JR, Wang J, Guarnaccia AD, Florian AC, Al-Tobasei R, Liu Q, Tansey WP, Weissmiller AM. Mitotic gene regulation by the N-MYC-WDR5-PDPK1 nexus. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:360. [PMID: 38605297 PMCID: PMC11007937 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10282-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND During mitosis the cell depends on proper attachment and segregation of replicated chromosomes to generate two identical progeny. In cancers defined by overexpression or dysregulation of the MYC oncogene this process becomes impaired, leading to genomic instability and tumor evolution. Recently it was discovered that the chromatin regulator WDR5-a critical MYC cofactor-regulates expression of genes needed in mitosis through a direct interaction with the master kinase PDPK1. However, whether PDPK1 and WDR5 contribute to similar mitotic gene regulation in MYC-overexpressing cancers remains unclear. Therefore, to characterize the influence of WDR5 and PDPK1 on mitotic gene expression in cells with high MYC levels, we performed a comparative transcriptomic analysis in neuroblastoma cell lines defined by MYCN-amplification, which results in high cellular levels of the N-MYC protein. RESULTS Using RNA-seq analysis, we identify the genes regulated by N-MYC and PDPK1 in multiple engineered CHP-134 neuroblastoma cell lines and compare them to previously published gene expression data collected in CHP-134 cells following inhibition of WDR5. We find that as expected N-MYC regulates a multitude of genes, including those related to mitosis, but that PDPK1 regulates specific sets of genes involved in development, signaling, and mitosis. Analysis of N-MYC- and PDPK1-regulated genes reveals a small group of commonly controlled genes associated with spindle pole formation and chromosome segregation, which overlap with genes that are also regulated by WDR5. We also find that N-MYC physically interacts with PDPK1 through the WDR5-PDPK1 interaction suggesting regulation of mitotic gene expression may be achieved through a N-MYC-WDR5-PDPK1 nexus. CONCLUSIONS Overall, we identify a small group of genes highly enriched within functional gene categories related to mitotic processes that are commonly regulated by N-MYC, WDR5, and PDPK1 and suggest that a tripartite interaction between the three regulators may be responsible for setting the level of mitotic gene regulation in N-MYC amplified cell lines. This study provides a foundation for future studies to determine the exact mechanism by which N-MYC, WDR5, and PDPK1 converge on cell cycle related processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Streeter
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA
| | - Alexandria G Williams
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA
| | - James R Evans
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA
| | - Alissa D Guarnaccia
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
- Department of Discovery Oncology, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Andrea C Florian
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
- Department of Biology, Belmont University, Nashville, TN, 37212, USA
| | - Rafet Al-Tobasei
- Department of Computer Science, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 32132, USA
| | - Qi Liu
- Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA
| | - William P Tansey
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
| | - April M Weissmiller
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Zhang L, Toboso-Navasa A, Gunawan A, Camara A, Nakagawa R, Katja F, Chakravarty P, Newman R, Zhang Y, Eilers M, Wack A, Tolar P, Toellner KM, Calado DP. Regulation of BCR-mediated Ca 2+ mobilization by MIZ1-TMBIM4 safeguards IgG1 + GC B cell-positive selection. Sci Immunol 2024; 9:eadk0092. [PMID: 38579014 PMCID: PMC7615907 DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.adk0092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
The transition from immunoglobulin M (IgM) to affinity-matured IgG antibodies is vital for effective humoral immunity. This is facilitated by germinal centers (GCs) through affinity maturation and preferential maintenance of IgG+ B cells over IgM+ B cells. However, it is not known whether the positive selection of the different Ig isotypes within GCs is dependent on specific transcriptional mechanisms. Here, we explored IgG1+ GC B cell transcription factor dependency using a CRISPR-Cas9 screen and conditional mouse genetics. We found that MIZ1 was specifically required for IgG1+ GC B cell survival during positive selection, whereas IgM+ GC B cells were largely independent. Mechanistically, MIZ1 induced TMBIM4, an ancestral anti-apoptotic protein that regulated inositol trisphosphate receptor (IP3R)-mediated calcium (Ca2+) mobilization downstream of B cell receptor (BCR) signaling in IgG1+ B cells. The MIZ1-TMBIM4 axis prevented mitochondrial dysfunction-induced IgG1+ GC cell death caused by excessive Ca2+ accumulation. This study uncovers a unique Ig isotype-specific dependency on a hitherto unidentified mechanism in GC-positive selection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lingling Zhang
- Immunity and Cancer, Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | | | - Arief Gunawan
- Immunity and Cancer, Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | | | | | | | | | - Rebecca Newman
- Immune Receptor Activation Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Yang Zhang
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Martin Eilers
- Theodor Boveri Institute and Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | | | - Pavel Tolar
- Immune Receptor Activation Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Division of Infection and Immunity, Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, University College London, London, UK
| | - Kai-Michael Toellner
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
Jakobsen ST, Jensen RAM, Madsen MS, Ravnsborg T, Vaagenso CS, Siersbæk MS, Einarsson H, Andersson R, Jensen ON, Siersbæk R. MYC activity at enhancers drives prognostic transcriptional programs through an epigenetic switch. Nat Genet 2024; 56:663-674. [PMID: 38454021 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-024-01676-z] [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: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
The transcription factor MYC is overexpressed in most cancers, where it drives multiple hallmarks of cancer progression. MYC is known to promote oncogenic transcription by binding to active promoters. In addition, MYC has also been shown to invade distal enhancers when expressed at oncogenic levels, but this enhancer binding has been proposed to have low gene-regulatory potential. Here, we demonstrate that MYC directly regulates enhancer activity to promote cancer type-specific gene programs predictive of poor patient prognosis. MYC induces transcription of enhancer RNA through recruitment of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII), rather than regulating RNAPII pause-release, as is the case at promoters. This process is mediated by MYC-induced H3K9 demethylation and acetylation by GCN5, leading to enhancer-specific BRD4 recruitment through its bromodomains, which facilitates RNAPII recruitment. We propose that MYC drives prognostic cancer type-specific gene programs through induction of an enhancer-specific epigenetic switch, which can be targeted by BET and GCN5 inhibitors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simon T Jakobsen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Rikke A M Jensen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Maria S Madsen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Tina Ravnsborg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | | | - Majken S Siersbæk
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Hjorleifur Einarsson
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Genomic Mechanisms of Disease, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Robin Andersson
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Genomic Mechanisms of Disease, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ole N Jensen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Rasmus Siersbæk
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Chan KI, Zhang S, Li G, Xu Y, Cui L, Wang Y, Su H, Tan W, Zhong Z. MYC Oncogene: A Druggable Target for Treating Cancers with Natural Products. Aging Dis 2024; 15:640-697. [PMID: 37450923 PMCID: PMC10917530 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2023.0520] [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: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Various diseases, including cancers, age-associated disorders, and acute liver failure, have been linked to the oncogene, MYC. Animal testing and clinical trials have shown that sustained tumor volume reduction can be achieved when MYC is inactivated, and different combinations of therapeutic agents including MYC inhibitors are currently being developed. In this review, we first provide a summary of the multiple biological functions of the MYC oncoprotein in cancer treatment, highlighting that the equilibrium points of the MYC/MAX, MIZ1/MYC/MAX, and MAD (MNT)/MAX complexes have further potential in cancer treatment that could be used to restrain MYC oncogene expression and its functions in tumorigenesis. We also discuss the multifunctional capacity of MYC in various cellular cancer processes, including its influences on immune response, metabolism, cell cycle, apoptosis, autophagy, pyroptosis, metastasis, angiogenesis, multidrug resistance, and intestinal flora. Moreover, we summarize the MYC therapy patent landscape and emphasize the potential of MYC as a druggable target, using herbal medicine modulators. Finally, we describe pending challenges and future perspectives in biomedical research, involving the development of therapeutic approaches to modulate MYC or its targeted genes. Patients with cancers driven by MYC signaling may benefit from therapies targeting these pathways, which could delay cancerous growth and recover antitumor immune responses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ka Iong Chan
- Macao Centre for Research and Development in Chinese Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR 999078, China
| | - Siyuan Zhang
- Macao Centre for Research and Development in Chinese Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR 999078, China
| | - Guodong Li
- Macao Centre for Research and Development in Chinese Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR 999078, China
| | - Yida Xu
- Macao Centre for Research and Development in Chinese Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR 999078, China
| | - Liao Cui
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Research and Development of Natural Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524000, China
| | - Yitao Wang
- Macao Centre for Research and Development in Chinese Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR 999078, China
| | - Huanxing Su
- Macao Centre for Research and Development in Chinese Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR 999078, China
| | - Wen Tan
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Zhangfeng Zhong
- Macao Centre for Research and Development in Chinese Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR 999078, China
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Williams JS, Higgins AT, Stott KJ, Thomas C, Farrell L, Bonnet CS, Peneva S, Derrick AV, Hay T, Wang T, Morgan C, Dwyer S, D'Ambrogio J, Hogan C, Smalley MJ, Parry L, Dyson P. Enhanced bacterial cancer therapy delivering therapeutic RNA interference of c-Myc. Cell Biosci 2024; 14:38. [PMID: 38521952 PMCID: PMC10961001 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-024-01206-8] [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: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bacterial cancer therapy was first trialled in patients at the end of the nineteenth century. More recently, tumour-targeting bacteria have been harnessed to deliver plasmid-expressed therapeutic interfering RNA to a range of solid tumours. A major limitation to clinical translation of this is the short-term nature of RNA interference in vivo due to plasmid instability. To overcome this, we sought to develop tumour-targeting attenuated bacteria that stably express shRNA by virtue of integration of an expression cassette within the bacterial chromosome and demonstrate therapeutic efficacy in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS The attenuated tumour targeting Salmonella typhimurium SL7207 strain was modified to carry chromosomally integrated shRNA expression cassettes at the xylA locus. The colorectal cancer cell lines SW480, HCT116 and breast cancer cell line MCF7 were used to demonstrate the ability of these modified strains to perform intracellular infection and deliver effective RNA and protein knockdown of the target gene c-Myc. In vivo therapeutic efficacy was demonstrated using the Lgr5creERT2Apcflx/flx and BlgCreBrca2flx/flp53flx/flx orthotopic immunocompetent mouse models of colorectal and breast cancer, respectively. In vitro co-cultures of breast and colorectal cancer cell lines with modified SL7207 demonstrated a significant 50-95% (P < 0.01) reduction in RNA and protein expression with SL7207/c-Myc targeted strains. In vivo, following establishment of tumour tissue, a single intra-peritoneal administration of 1 × 106 CFU of SL7207/c-Myc was sufficient to permit tumour colonisation and significantly extend survival with no overt toxicity in control animals. CONCLUSIONS In summary we have demonstrated that tumour tropic bacteria can be modified to safely deliver therapeutic levels of gene knockdown. This technology has the potential to specifically target primary and secondary solid tumours with personalised therapeutic payloads, providing new multi-cancer detection and treatment options with minimal off-target effects. Further understanding of the tropism mechanisms and impact on host immunity and microbiome is required to progress to clinical translation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jason S Williams
- Institute of Life Science, School of Medicine, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Adam T Higgins
- European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Katie J Stott
- European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Carly Thomas
- Institute of Life Science, School of Medicine, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Lydia Farrell
- Institute of Life Science, School of Medicine, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Cleo S Bonnet
- Institute of Life Science, School of Medicine, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Severina Peneva
- Institute of Life Science, School of Medicine, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Anna V Derrick
- Institute of Life Science, School of Medicine, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Trevor Hay
- European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Tianqi Wang
- European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Claire Morgan
- Institute of Life Science, School of Medicine, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Sarah Dwyer
- European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Joshua D'Ambrogio
- European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Catherine Hogan
- European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Matthew J Smalley
- European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Lee Parry
- European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK.
| | - Paul Dyson
- Institute of Life Science, School of Medicine, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Liu Z, Zhang X, Xu M, Hong JJ, Ciardiello A, Lei H, Shern JF, Thiele CJ. MYCN drives oncogenesis by cooperating with the histone methyltransferase G9a and the WDR5 adaptor to orchestrate global gene transcription. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002240. [PMID: 38547242 PMCID: PMC11003700 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002240] [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: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
MYCN activates canonical MYC targets involved in ribosome biogenesis, protein synthesis, and represses neuronal differentiation genes to drive oncogenesis in neuroblastoma (NB). How MYCN orchestrates global gene expression remains incompletely understood. Our study finds that MYCN binds promoters to up-regulate canonical MYC targets but binds to both enhancers and promoters to repress differentiation genes. MYCN binding also increases H3K4me3 and H3K27ac on canonical MYC target promoters and decreases H3K27ac on neuronal differentiation gene enhancers and promoters. WDR5 facilitates MYCN promoter binding to activate canonical MYC target genes, whereas MYCN recruits G9a to enhancers to repress neuronal differentiation genes. Targeting both MYCN's active and repressive transcriptional activities using both WDR5 and G9a inhibitors synergistically suppresses NB growth. We demonstrate that MYCN cooperates with WDR5 and G9a to orchestrate global gene transcription. The targeting of both these cofactors is a novel therapeutic strategy to indirectly target the oncogenic activity of MYCN.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhihui Liu
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Xiyuan Zhang
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Man Xu
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jason J. Hong
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Amanda Ciardiello
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Haiyan Lei
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jack F. Shern
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Carol J. Thiele
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Yang Y, Wu G, Sancar A, Hogenesch JB. Mutations of the circadian clock genes Cry, Per, or Bmal1 have different effects on the transcribed and nontranscribed strands of cycling genes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2316731121. [PMID: 38359290 PMCID: PMC10895256 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2316731121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
One important goal of circadian medicine is to apply time-of-day dosing to improve the efficacy of chemotherapy. However, limited knowledge of how the circadian clock regulates DNA repair presents a challenge to mechanism-based clinical application. We studied time-series genome-wide nucleotide excision repair in liver and kidney of wild type and three different clock mutant genotypes (Cry1-/-Cry2-/-, Per1-/-Per2-/-, and Bmal1-/-). Rhythmic repair on the nontranscribed strand was lost in all three clock mutants. Conversely, rhythmic repair of hundreds of genes on the transcribed strand (TSs) persisted in the livers of Cry1-/-Cry2-/- and Per1-/-Per2-/- mice. We identified a tissue-specific, promoter element-driven repair mode on TSs of collagen and angiogenesis genes in the absence of clock activators or repressors. Furthermore, repair on TSs of thousands of genes was altered when the circadian clock is disrupted. These data contribute to a better understanding of the regulatory role of the circadian clock on nucleotide excision repair in mammals and may be invaluable toward the design of time-aware platinum-based interventions in cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yanyan Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Gang Wu
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267
| | - Aziz Sancar
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - John B Hogenesch
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267
- Division of Immunobiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229
- Divisions of Pulmonary Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Harris EL, Roy V, Montagne M, Rose AMS, Livesey H, Reijnders MRF, Hobson E, Sansbury FH, Willemsen MH, Pfundt R, Warren D, Long V, Carr IM, Brunner HG, Sheridan EG, Firth HV, Lavigne P, Poulter JA. A recurrent de novo MAX p.Arg60Gln variant causes a syndromic overgrowth disorder through differential expression of c-Myc target genes. Am J Hum Genet 2024; 111:119-132. [PMID: 38141607 PMCID: PMC10806738 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2023.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyclin D2 (CCND2) stabilization underpins a range of macrocephaly-associated disorders through mutation of CCND2 or activating mutations in upstream genes encoding PI3K-AKT pathway components. Here, we describe three individuals with overlapping macrocephaly-associated phenotypes who carry the same recurrent de novo c.179G>A (p.Arg60Gln) variant in Myc-associated factor X (MAX). The mutation, located in the b-HLH-LZ domain, causes increased intracellular CCND2 through increased transcription but it does not cause stabilization of CCND2. We show that the purified b-HLH-LZ domain of MAXArg60Gln (Max∗Arg60Gln) binds its target E-box sequence with a lower apparent affinity. This leads to a more efficient heterodimerization with c-Myc resulting in an increase in transcriptional activity of c-Myc in individuals carrying this mutation. The recent development of Omomyc-CPP, a cell-penetrating b-HLH-LZ-domain c-Myc inhibitor, provides a possible therapeutic option for MAXArg60Gln individuals, and others carrying similar germline mutations resulting in dysregulated transcriptional c-Myc activity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erica L Harris
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Leeds Institute of Medical Research, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Vincent Roy
- Département de Biochimie et Génomique Fonctionnelle, PROTÉO et Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke. University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Martin Montagne
- Département de Biochimie et Génomique Fonctionnelle, PROTÉO et Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke. University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Ailsa M S Rose
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Leeds Institute of Medical Research, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Helen Livesey
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, UK; All Wales Medical Genomics Service, NHS Wales Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Cardiff, UK
| | - Margot R F Reijnders
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Emma Hobson
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, UK
| | - Francis H Sansbury
- All Wales Medical Genomics Service, NHS Wales Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Cardiff, UK
| | - Marjolein H Willemsen
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Rolph Pfundt
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Vernon Long
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, UK
| | - Ian M Carr
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Leeds Institute of Medical Research, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Han G Brunner
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Eamonn G Sheridan
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Leeds Institute of Medical Research, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK; Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, UK
| | - Helen V Firth
- Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals, Cambridge, UK; Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Pierre Lavigne
- Département de Biochimie et Génomique Fonctionnelle, PROTÉO et Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke. University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.
| | - James A Poulter
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Leeds Institute of Medical Research, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Hofstetter J, Ogunleye A, Kutschke A, Buchholz LM, Wolf E, Raabe T, Gallant P. Spt5 interacts genetically with Myc and is limiting for brain tumor growth in Drosophila. Life Sci Alliance 2024; 7:e202302130. [PMID: 37935464 PMCID: PMC10629571 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202302130] [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: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor SPT5 physically interacts with MYC oncoproteins and is essential for efficient transcriptional activation of MYC targets in cultured cells. Here, we use Drosophila to address the relevance of this interaction in a living organism. Spt5 displays moderate synergy with Myc in fast proliferating young imaginal disc cells. During later development, Spt5-knockdown has no detectable consequences on its own, but strongly enhances eye defects caused by Myc overexpression. Similarly, Spt5-knockdown in larval type 2 neuroblasts has only mild effects on brain development and survival of control flies, but dramatically shrinks the volumes of experimentally induced neuroblast tumors and significantly extends the lifespan of tumor-bearing animals. This beneficial effect is still observed when Spt5 is knocked down systemically and after tumor initiation, highlighting SPT5 as a potential drug target in human oncology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julia Hofstetter
- https://ror.org/00fbnyb24 Cancer Systems Biology Group, Theodor Boveri Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ayoola Ogunleye
- https://ror.org/00fbnyb24 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Theodor Boveri Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - André Kutschke
- https://ror.org/00fbnyb24 Cancer Systems Biology Group, Theodor Boveri Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Lisa Marie Buchholz
- https://ror.org/00fbnyb24 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Theodor Boveri Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Elmar Wolf
- https://ror.org/00fbnyb24 Cancer Systems Biology Group, Theodor Boveri Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Raabe
- https://ror.org/00fbnyb24 Molecular Genetics, Biocenter, Am Hubland, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Peter Gallant
- https://ror.org/00fbnyb24 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Theodor Boveri Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Hamilton G, Stickler S, Rath B. Bromodomain Protein-directed Agents and MYC in Small Cell Lung Cancer. Curr Cancer Drug Targets 2024; 24:930-940. [PMID: 38275056 DOI: 10.2174/0115680096272757231211113206] [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: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) has a dismal prognosis. In addition to the inactivation of the tumor suppressors TP53 and RB1, tumor-promoting MYC and paralogs are frequently overexpressed in this neuroendocrine carcinoma. SCLC exhibits high resistance to second-line chemotherapy and all attempts of novel drugs and targeted therapy have failed so far to achieve superior survival. MYC and paralogs have key roles in the oncogenic process, orchestrating proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, and metabolism. In SCLC, MYC-L and MYC regulate the neuroendocrine dedifferentiation of SCLC cells from Type A (ASCL1 expression) to the other SCLC subtypes. Targeting MYC to suppress tumor growth is difficult due to the lack of suitable binding pockets and the most advanced miniprotein inhibitor Omomyc exhibits limited efficacy. MYC may be targeted indirectly via the bromodomain (BET) protein BRD4, which activates MYC transcription, by specific BET inhibitors that reduce the expression of this oncogenic driver. Here, novel BET-directed Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) are discussed that show high antiproliferative activity in SCLC. Particularly, ARV-825, targeting specifically BRD4, exhibits superior cytotoxic effects on SCLC cell lines and may become a valuable adjunct to SCLC combination chemotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gerhard Hamilton
- Institute of Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sandra Stickler
- Institute of Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Barbara Rath
- Institute of Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Martyn GE, Montgomery MT, Jones H, Guo K, Doughty BR, Linder J, Chen Z, Cochran K, Lawrence KA, Munson G, Pampari A, Fulco CP, Kelley DR, Lander ES, Kundaje A, Engreitz JM. Rewriting regulatory DNA to dissect and reprogram gene expression. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.20.572268. [PMID: 38187584 PMCID: PMC10769263 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.20.572268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Regulatory DNA sequences within enhancers and promoters bind transcription factors to encode cell type-specific patterns of gene expression. However, the regulatory effects and programmability of such DNA sequences remain difficult to map or predict because we have lacked scalable methods to precisely edit regulatory DNA and quantify the effects in an endogenous genomic context. Here we present an approach to measure the quantitative effects of hundreds of designed DNA sequence variants on gene expression, by combining pooled CRISPR prime editing with RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization and cell sorting (Variant-FlowFISH). We apply this method to mutagenize and rewrite regulatory DNA sequences in an enhancer and the promoter of PPIF in two immune cell lines. Of 672 variant-cell type pairs, we identify 497 that affect PPIF expression. These variants appear to act through a variety of mechanisms including disruption or optimization of existing transcription factor binding sites, as well as creation of de novo sites. Disrupting a single endogenous transcription factor binding site often led to large changes in expression (up to -40% in the enhancer, and -50% in the promoter). The same variant often had different effects across cell types and states, demonstrating a highly tunable regulatory landscape. We use these data to benchmark performance of sequence-based predictive models of gene regulation, and find that certain types of variants are not accurately predicted by existing models. Finally, we computationally design 185 small sequence variants (≤10 bp) and optimize them for specific effects on expression in silico. 84% of these rationally designed edits showed the intended direction of effect, and some had dramatic effects on expression (-100% to +202%). Variant-FlowFISH thus provides a powerful tool to map the effects of variants and transcription factor binding sites on gene expression, test and improve computational models of gene regulation, and reprogram regulatory DNA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella E Martyn
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Basic Science and Engineering Initiative, Stanford Children's Health, Betty Irene Moore Children's Heart Center, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Michael T Montgomery
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Basic Science and Engineering Initiative, Stanford Children's Health, Betty Irene Moore Children's Heart Center, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Hank Jones
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Basic Science and Engineering Initiative, Stanford Children's Health, Betty Irene Moore Children's Heart Center, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Katherine Guo
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Basic Science and Engineering Initiative, Stanford Children's Health, Betty Irene Moore Children's Heart Center, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Benjamin R Doughty
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Ziwei Chen
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Kelly Cochran
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Kathryn A Lawrence
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Glen Munson
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Genomic Mechanisms of Disease, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Gene Regulation Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Anusri Pampari
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Charles P Fulco
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Present Address: Sanofi, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Eric S Lander
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biology, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anshul Kundaje
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jesse M Engreitz
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Basic Science and Engineering Initiative, Stanford Children's Health, Betty Irene Moore Children's Heart Center, Stanford, CA, USA
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Genomic Mechanisms of Disease, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Gene Regulation Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Moyers BA, Partridge EC, Mackiewicz M, Betti MJ, Darji R, Meadows SK, Newberry KM, Brandsmeier LA, Wold BJ, Mendenhall EM, Myers RM. Characterization of human transcription factor function and patterns of gene regulation in HepG2 cells. Genome Res 2023; 33:1879-1892. [PMID: 37852782 PMCID: PMC10760452 DOI: 10.1101/gr.278205.123] [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: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Transcription factors (TFs) are trans-acting proteins that bind cis-regulatory elements (CREs) in DNA to control gene expression. Here, we analyzed the genomic localization profiles of 529 sequence-specific TFs and 151 cofactors and chromatin regulators in the human cancer cell line HepG2, for a total of 680 broadly termed DNA-associated proteins (DAPs). We used this deep collection to model each TF's impact on gene expression, and identified a cohort of 26 candidate transcriptional repressors. We examine high occupancy target (HOT) sites in the context of three-dimensional genome organization and show biased motif placement in distal-promoter connections involving HOT sites. We also found a substantial number of closed chromatin regions with multiple DAPs bound, and explored their properties, finding that a MAFF/MAFK TF pair correlates with transcriptional repression. Altogether, these analyses provide novel insights into the regulatory logic of the human cell line HepG2 genome and show the usefulness of large genomic analyses for elucidation of individual TF functions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Belle A Moyers
- HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, Alabama 35806, USA
| | | | - Mark Mackiewicz
- HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, Alabama 35806, USA
| | - Michael J Betti
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
| | - Roshan Darji
- HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, Alabama 35806, USA
| | - Sarah K Meadows
- HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, Alabama 35806, USA
| | | | | | - Barbara J Wold
- Merkin Institute for Translational Research, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Eric M Mendenhall
- HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, Alabama 35806, USA;
| | - Richard M Myers
- HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, Alabama 35806, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Kazimierska M, Podralska M, Żurawek M, Woźniak T, Kasprzyk ME, Sura W, Łosiewski W, Ziółkowska‐Suchanek I, Kluiver J, van den Berg A, Rozwadowska N, Dzikiewicz‐Krawczyk A. CRISPR/Cas9 screen for genome-wide interrogation of essential MYC-bound E-boxes in cancer cells. Mol Oncol 2023; 17:2295-2313. [PMID: 37519063 PMCID: PMC10620128 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor MYC is a proto-oncogene with a well-documented essential role in the pathogenesis and maintenance of several types of cancer. MYC binds to specific E-box sequences in the genome to regulate gene expression in a cell-type- and developmental-stage-specific manner. To date, a combined analysis of essential MYC-bound E-boxes and their downstream target genes important for growth of different types of cancer is missing. In this study, we designed a CRISPR/Cas9 library to destroy E-box sequences in a genome-wide fashion. In parallel, we used the Brunello library to knock out protein-coding genes. We performed high-throughput screens with these libraries in four MYC-dependent cancer cell lines-K562, ST486, HepG2, and MCF7-which revealed several essential E-boxes and genes. Among them, we pinpointed crucial common and cell-type-specific MYC-regulated genes involved in pathways associated with cancer development. Extensive validation of our approach confirmed that E-box disruption affects MYC binding, target-gene expression, and cell proliferation in vitro as well as tumor growth in vivo. Our unique, well-validated tool opens new possibilities to gain novel insights into MYC-dependent vulnerabilities in cancer cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marta Kazimierska
- Institute of Human GeneticsPolish Academy of SciencesPoznańPoland
- Institute of Bioorganic ChemistryPolish Academy of SciencesPoznańPoland
| | - Marta Podralska
- Institute of Human GeneticsPolish Academy of SciencesPoznańPoland
| | | | - Tomasz Woźniak
- Institute of Human GeneticsPolish Academy of SciencesPoznańPoland
| | | | - Weronika Sura
- Institute of Human GeneticsPolish Academy of SciencesPoznańPoland
| | | | | | - Joost Kluiver
- Department of Pathology and Medical BiologyUniversity of Groningen, University Medical Center GroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Anke van den Berg
- Department of Pathology and Medical BiologyUniversity of Groningen, University Medical Center GroningenThe Netherlands
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
Li X, He L, Ou Y, Wang S, Hu Y, Niu H. Oxymatrine inhibits melanoma development by modulating the immune microenvironment and targeting the MYC/PD-L1 pathway. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 124:111000. [PMID: 37788594 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.111000] [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: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Oxymatrine, also known as ammothamnine or oxysophoridine, is a natural compound isolated from Sophora flavescens (in Chinese, Kushen), and many previous researchers have characterized its anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic and anti-tumor properties. However, the underlying anti-tumor immunological mechanism of oxymatrine remains elusive. In this study, we carried out experiments both in vitro and in vivo and investigated the anti-tumor effect of oxymatrine to inhibit the proliferation and migration of melanoma B16 cells, while promoting apoptosis. Oxymatrine upregulated CD4+ T, CD8+ T and NKT cells, downregulated Treg cells, promoted TNF-α secretion, and successfully modulated the immune microenvironment and ultimately suppressed melanoma development in subcutaneous tumor models established in mice. Evidence from network pharmacology and RNAseq suggested that possible targets of oxymatrine for melanoma treatment included PD-L1 and MYC. We observed oxymatrine inhibited PD-L1 and MYC expression in melanoma cells via qRT-PCR and western blotting analysis, and found MYC potentially regulated PD-L1 to mediate anti-tumor effects. These findings provide insight into the mechanism by which oxymatrine inhibits melanoma and enhances the anti-tumor immune effect. In summary, our study proposes a novel approach to suppress melanoma by targeting the MYC/PD-L1 pathway using oxymatrine, which may develop into a less toxic and more efficient anti-tumor agent for melanoma treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xin Li
- School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Viral Pathogenesis & Infection Prevention and Control, Jinan University, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Germ-Free Animals and Microbiome Application, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lun He
- School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Viral Pathogenesis & Infection Prevention and Control, Jinan University, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Germ-Free Animals and Microbiome Application, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanhua Ou
- School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Viral Pathogenesis & Infection Prevention and Control, Jinan University, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Germ-Free Animals and Microbiome Application, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shanshan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Viral Pathogenesis & Infection Prevention and Control, Jinan University, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Germ-Free Animals and Microbiome Application, Guangzhou, China; School of Basic Medicine, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, China
| | - Yaqian Hu
- Key Laboratory of Viral Pathogenesis & Infection Prevention and Control, Jinan University, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Germ-Free Animals and Microbiome Application, Guangzhou, China; School of Basic Medicine, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, China
| | - Haitao Niu
- School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Viral Pathogenesis & Infection Prevention and Control, Jinan University, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Germ-Free Animals and Microbiome Application, Guangzhou, China; School of Basic Medicine, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, China.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Almeida TC, Melo AS, Lima APB, Branquinho RT, da Silva GN. Resveratrol induces the production of reactive oxygen species, interferes with the cell cycle, and inhibits the cell migration of bladder tumour cells with different TP53 status. Nat Prod Res 2023; 37:3838-3843. [PMID: 36441214 DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2022.2151007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Resveratrol is a polyphenolic compound whose antitumor activity has been demonstrated in several types of cancer. However, there are few studies on its molecular mechanisms of action in bladder cancer. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate resveratrol activity in bladder tumour cells with different TP53 gene status. Cytotoxicity, cell proliferation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, cell migration, mutagenicity, and CDH1, CTNNBIP1, HAT1, HDAC1, MYC, and SMAD4 gene expression were evaluated. An increase in ROS after resveratrol treatment was accompanied by reduced cell viability and proliferation in all cell lines. In TP53 wild-type cells, the inhibition of cell migration was accompanied by CDH1 and SMAD4 modulation. In TP53 mutated cells, cell migration inhibition with CDH1 and CTNNB1P1 upregulation was observed. In conclusion, resveratrol has antiproliferative effect in bladder tumour cells and its mechanism of action occurred through ROS production, interference with cell cycle, and inhibition of cell migration, independent of TP53 status.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tamires Cunha Almeida
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas (CIPHARMA), Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil
| | | | - Ana Paula Braga Lima
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas (CIPHARMA), Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil
| | - Renata Tupinambá Branquinho
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas (CIPHARMA), Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil
| | - Glenda Nicioli da Silva
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas (CIPHARMA), Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas (CBIOL), Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Lin FT, Liu K, Garan LAW, Folly-Kossi H, Song Y, Lin SJ, Lin WC. A small-molecule inhibitor of TopBP1 exerts anti-MYC activity and synergy with PARP inhibitors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2307793120. [PMID: 37878724 PMCID: PMC10622895 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2307793120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
We have previously identified TopBP1 (topoisomerase IIβ-binding protein 1) as a promising target for cancer therapy, given its role in the convergence of Rb, PI(3)K/Akt, and p53 pathways. Based on this, we conducted a large-scale molecular docking screening to identify a small-molecule inhibitor that specifically targets the BRCT7/8 domains of TopBP1, which we have named 5D4. Our studies show that 5D4 inhibits TopBP1 interactions with E2F1, mutant p53, and Cancerous Inhibitor of Protein Phosphatase 2A. This leads to the activation of E2F1-mediated apoptosis and the inhibition of mutant p53 gain of function. In addition, 5D4 disrupts the interaction of TopBP1 with MIZ1, which in turn allows MIZ1 to bind to its target gene promoters and repress MYC activity. Moreover, 5D4 inhibits the association of the TopBP1-PLK1 complex and prevents the formation of Rad51 foci. When combined with inhibitors of PARP1/2 or PARP14, 5D4 synergizes to effectively block cancer cell proliferation. Our animal studies have demonstrated the antitumor activity of 5D4 in breast and ovarian cancer xenograft models. Moreover, the effectiveness of 5D4 is further enhanced when combined with a PARP1/2 inhibitor talazoparib. Taken together, our findings strongly support the potential use of TopBP1-BRCT7/8 inhibitors as a targeted cancer therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fang-Tsyr Lin
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX77030
- Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX77030
| | - Kang Liu
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX77030
| | - Lidija A. Wilhelms Garan
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX77030
- Cancer and Cell Biology Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX77030
| | - Helena Folly-Kossi
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX77030
| | - Yongcheng Song
- Department of Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX77030
| | - Shwu-Jiuan Lin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei11031, Taiwan
- PhD Program in Clinical Drug Development of Herbal Medicine, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Weei-Chin Lin
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX77030
- Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX77030
- Cancer and Cell Biology Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX77030
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX77030
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Freie B, Carroll PA, Varnum-Finney BJ, Ramani V, Bernstein I, Eisenman RN. A Germline Point Mutation in the MYC-FBW7 Phosphodegron Initiates Hematopoietic Malignancies. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.23.563660. [PMID: 37961183 PMCID: PMC10634767 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.23.563660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Oncogenic activation of MYC in cancers predominantly involves increased transcription rather than coding region mutations. However, MYC-dependent lymphomas frequently contain point mutations in the MYC phospho-degron, including at threonine-58 (T58), where phosphorylation permits binding by the FBW7 ubiquitin ligase triggering MYC degradation. To understand how T58 phosphorylation functions in normal cell physiology, we introduced an alanine mutation at T58 (T58A) into the endogenous c-Myc locus in the mouse germline. While MYC-T58A mice develop normally, lymphomas and myeloid leukemias emerge in ~60% of adult homozygous T58A mice. We find that primitive hematopoietic progenitor cells from MYC-T58A mice exhibit aberrant self-renewal normally associated with hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and upregulate a subset of Myc target genes important in maintaining stem/progenitor cell balance. Genomic occupancy by MYC-T58A was increased at all promoters, compared to WT MYC, while genes differentially expressed in a T58A-dependent manner were significantly more proximal to MYC-bound enhancers. MYC-T58A lymphocyte progenitors exhibited metabolic alterations and decreased activation of inflammatory and apoptotic pathways. Our data demonstrate that a single point mutation in Myc is sufficient to produce a profound gain of function in multipotential hematopoietic progenitors associated with self-renewal and initiation of lymphomas and leukemias.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brian Freie
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle WA, USA
| | - Patrick A Carroll
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle WA, USA
| | | | - Vijay Ramani
- Gladstone Institute for Data Science and Biotechnology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco CA, USA
| | - Irwin Bernstein
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle WA, USA
| | - Robert N Eisenman
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle WA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
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.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - David Levens
- Gene Regulation Section, Laboratory of Pathology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, MD, United States
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Papadopoulos D, Uhl L, Ha SA, Eilers M. Beyond gene expression: how MYC relieves transcription stress. Trends Cancer 2023; 9:805-816. [PMID: 37422352 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2023.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
MYC oncoproteins are key drivers of tumorigenesis. As transcription factors, MYC proteins regulate transcription by all three nuclear polymerases and gene expression. Accumulating evidence shows that MYC proteins are also crucial for enhancing the stress resilience of transcription. MYC proteins relieve torsional stress caused by active transcription, prevent collisions between the transcription and replication machineries, resolve R-loops, and repair DNA damage by participating in a range of protein complexes and forming multimeric structures at sites of genomic instability. We review the key complexes and multimerization properties of MYC proteins that allow them to mitigate transcription-associated DNA damage, and propose that the oncogenic functions of MYC extend beyond the modulation of gene expression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios Papadopoulos
- Theodor Boveri Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany; Mildred Scheel Early Career Center, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Leonie Uhl
- Theodor Boveri Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Stefanie Anh Ha
- Theodor Boveri Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Martin Eilers
- Theodor Boveri Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Kotekar A, Singh AK, Devaiah BN. BRD4 and MYC: power couple in transcription and disease. FEBS J 2023; 290:4820-4842. [PMID: 35866356 PMCID: PMC9867786 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The MYC proto-oncogene and BRD4, a BET family protein, are two cardinal proteins that have a broad influence in cell biology and disease. Both proteins are expressed ubiquitously in mammalian cells and play central roles in controlling growth, development, stress responses and metabolic function. As chromatin and transcriptional regulators, they play a critical role in regulating the expression of a burgeoning array of genes, maintaining chromatin architecture and genome stability. Consequently, impairment of their function or regulation leads to many diseases, with cancer being the most predominant. Interestingly, accumulating evidence indicates that regulation of the expression and functions of MYC are tightly intertwined with BRD4 at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. Here, we review the mechanisms by which MYC and BRD4 are regulated, their functions in governing various molecular mechanisms and the consequences of their dysregulation that lead to disease. We present a perspective of how the regulatory mechanisms for the two proteins could be entwined at multiple points in a BRD4-MYC nexus that leads to the modulation of their functions and disease upon dysregulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aparna Kotekar
- Experimental Immunology Branch, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Amit Kumar Singh
- Experimental Immunology Branch, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
35
|
Hurd M, Pino J, Jang K, Allevato MM, Vorontchikhina M, Ichikawa W, Zhao Y, Gates R, Villalpando E, Hamilton MJ, Faiola F, Pan S, Qi Y, Hung YW, Girke T, Ann D, Seewaldt V, Martinez E. MYC acetylated lysine residues drive oncogenic cell transformation and regulate select genetic programs for cell adhesion-independent growth and survival. Genes Dev 2023; 37:865-882. [PMID: 37852796 PMCID: PMC10691474 DOI: 10.1101/gad.350736.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
The MYC oncogenic transcription factor is acetylated by the p300 and GCN5 histone acetyltransferases. The significance of MYC acetylation and the functions of specific acetylated lysine (AcK) residues have remained unclear. Here, we show that the major p300-acetylated K148(149) and K157(158) sites in human (or mouse) MYC and the main GCN5-acetylated K323 residue are reversibly acetylated in various malignant and nonmalignant cells. Oncogenic overexpression of MYC enhances its acetylation and alters the regulation of site-specific acetylation by proteasome and deacetylase inhibitors. Acetylation of MYC at different K residues differentially affects its stability in a cell type-dependent manner. Lysine-to-arginine substitutions indicate that although none of the AcK residues is required for MYC stimulation of adherent cell proliferation, individual AcK sites have gene-specific functions controlling select MYC-regulated processes in cell adhesion, contact inhibition, apoptosis, and/or metabolism and are required for the malignant cell transformation activity of MYC. Each AcK site is required for anchorage-independent growth of MYC-overexpressing cells in vitro, and both the AcK148(149) and AcK157(158) residues are also important for the tumorigenic activity of MYC transformed cells in vivo. The MYC AcK site-specific signaling pathways identified may offer new avenues for selective therapeutic targeting of MYC oncogenic activities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Hurd
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, USA
| | - Jeffrey Pino
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, USA
| | - Kay Jang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, USA
| | - Michael M Allevato
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, USA
| | - Marina Vorontchikhina
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, USA
| | - Wataru Ichikawa
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, USA
| | - Yifan Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, USA
| | - Ryan Gates
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, USA
| | - Emily Villalpando
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, USA
| | - Michael J Hamilton
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, USA
| | - Francesco Faiola
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, USA
| | - Songqin Pan
- Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, USA
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, USA
| | - Yue Qi
- Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, Comprehensive Cancer Center, City of Hope, Duarte, California 91010, USA
| | - Yu-Wen Hung
- Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, Comprehensive Cancer Center, City of Hope, Duarte, California 91010, USA
- Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Beckman Research Institute, Comprehensive Cancer Center, City of Hope, Duarte, California 91010, USA
| | - Thomas Girke
- Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, USA
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, USA
| | - David Ann
- Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, Comprehensive Cancer Center, City of Hope, Duarte, California 91010, USA
- Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Beckman Research Institute, Comprehensive Cancer Center, City of Hope, Duarte, California 91010, USA
| | - Victoria Seewaldt
- Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Beckman Research Institute, Comprehensive Cancer Center, City of Hope, Duarte, California 91010, USA
- Department of Population Sciences, Beckman Research Institute, Comprehensive Cancer Center, City of Hope, Duarte, California 91010, USA
| | - Ernest Martinez
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, USA;
- Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, USA
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Liu G, Chen ZG, Yang LR, Rong YX, Wang Q, Li L, Lu QW, Jiang MD, Qi HY. Z-ligustilide preferentially caused mitochondrial dysfunction in AML HL-60 cells by activating nuclear receptors NUR77 and NOR1. Chin Med 2023; 18:123. [PMID: 37735686 PMCID: PMC10512564 DOI: 10.1186/s13020-023-00808-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nuclear receptors NUR77 and NOR1 were identified as critical targets in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) therapy. Previously, we showed that Z-ligustilide (Z-LIG) selectively targeted AML by restoring NUR77 and NOR1. However, its downstream mechanisms are yet to be elucidated. METHODS SRB staining assay was used to measure cell viability. Cell apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species were analyzed using flow cytometry. The potential targets of Z-LIG in AML HL-60 cells were evaluated by RNA sequencing. Changes in RNA levels were measured using quantitative RT-qPCR and western blot analysis was used to detect the expression of proteins. RESULTS Z-LIG preferentially induced mitochondrial dysfunction in HL-60 cells compared with 293T cells. Furthermore, RNA sequencing revealed that mitochondrial transcription and translation might be potential Z-LIG targets inhibiting HL-60 cells. NUR77/NOR1 overexpression significantly reduced the mitochondrial ATP and mitochondrial membrane potential and increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species in HL-60 cells but not in 293T cells. Moreover, Z-LIG induced mitochondrial dysfunction by restoring NUR77 and NOR1 in HL-60 cells. Compared with HL-60 cells, the apoptosis-inducing activities of NUR77/NOR1 and Z-LIG were significantly reduced in HL-60 ρ0 cells depleted in mitochondrial DNA (mt-DNA). Moreover, NUR77/NOR1 and Z-LIG downregulated mitochondrial transcription and translation related proteins in HL-60 cells. Notably, Z-LIG remarkably reduced mitochondrial ATP in primary AML cells and showed anti-AML activity in mouse models of human AML. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, our findings suggested that Z-LIG selectively induces mitochondrial dysfunction in AML HL-60 cells by restoring NUR77 and NOR1, a process associated with interference in mtDNA transcription.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gen Liu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Chinese Medicine, Southwest University, 2 Tiansheng Road, Beibei District, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Zhi-Gang Chen
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Chinese Medicine, Southwest University, 2 Tiansheng Road, Beibei District, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Li-Rong Yang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Chinese Medicine, Southwest University, 2 Tiansheng Road, Beibei District, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Yu-Xia Rong
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Chinese Medicine, Southwest University, 2 Tiansheng Road, Beibei District, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Qin Wang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Chinese Medicine, Southwest University, 2 Tiansheng Road, Beibei District, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Li Li
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Chinese Medicine, Southwest University, 2 Tiansheng Road, Beibei District, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Qian-Wei Lu
- Radiotherapy Department, Chongqing Ninth People's Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Ming-Dong Jiang
- Radiotherapy Department, Chongqing Ninth People's Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Hong-Yi Qi
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Chinese Medicine, Southwest University, 2 Tiansheng Road, Beibei District, Chongqing, 400715, China.
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Guan Q, Chen Z, Yu F, Liu L, Huang Y, Wei G, Chiang CM, Wong J, Li J. MYC promotes global transcription in part by controlling P-TEFb complex formation via DNA-binding independent inhibition of CDK9 SUMOylation. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2023; 66:2167-2184. [PMID: 37115490 PMCID: PMC10524883 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-022-2281-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
MYC is an oncogenic transcription factor with a novel role in enhancing global transcription when overexpressed. However, how MYC promotes global transcription remains controversial. Here, we used a series of MYC mutants to dissect the molecular basis for MYC-driven global transcription. We found that MYC mutants deficient in DNA binding or known transcriptional activation activities can still promote global transcription and enhance serine 2 phosphorylation (Ser2P) of the RNA polymerase (Pol) II C-terminal domain (CTD), a hallmark of active elongating RNA Pol II. Two distinct regions within MYC can promote global transcription and Ser2P of Pol II CTD. The ability of various MYC mutants to promote global transcription and Ser2P correlates with their ability to suppress CDK9 SUMOylation and enhance positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb) complex formation. We showed that MYC suppresses CDK9 SUMOylation by inhibiting the interaction between CDK9 and SUMO enzymes including UBC9 and PIAS1. Furthermore, MYC's activity in enhancing global transcription positively contributes to its activity in promoting cell proliferation and transformation. Together, our study demonstrates that MYC promotes global transcription, at least in part, by promoting the formation of the active P-TEFb complex via a sequence-specific DNA-binding activity-independent manner.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qingqing Guan
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Fengxian District Central Hospital-ECNU Joint Center of Translational Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Zhaosu Chen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Fengxian District Central Hospital-ECNU Joint Center of Translational Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Fang Yu
- Department of Medicine, UF Health Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Lingling Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Yuanyong Huang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Fengxian District Central Hospital-ECNU Joint Center of Translational Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Gang Wei
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Cheng-Ming Chiang
- Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacology, and Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Jiemin Wong
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Fengxian District Central Hospital-ECNU Joint Center of Translational Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
| | - Jiwen Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Fengxian District Central Hospital-ECNU Joint Center of Translational Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Liu X, Liu X, Du Y, Zou D, Tian C, Li Y, Lan X, David CJ, Sun Q, Chen M. Aberrant accumulation of Kras-dependent pervasive transcripts during tumor progression renders cancer cells dependent on PAF1 expression. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112979. [PMID: 37572321 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112979] [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: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023] Open
Abstract
KRAS is the most commonly mutated oncogene in human cancer, and mutant KRAS is responsible for over 90% of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the most lethal cancer. Here, we show that RNA polymerase II-associated factor 1 complex (PAF1C) is specifically required for survival of PDAC but not normal adult pancreatic cells. We show that PAF1C maintains cancer cell genomic stability by restraining overaccumulation of enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) and promoter upstream transcripts (PROMPTs) driven by mutant Kras. Loss of PAF1C leads to cancer-specific lengthening and accumulation of pervasive transcripts on chromatin and concomitant aberrant R-loop formation and DNA damage, which, in turn, trigger cell death. We go on to demonstrate that the global transcriptional hyperactivation driven by Kras signaling during tumorigenesis underlies the specific demand for PAF1C by cancer cells. Our work provides insights into how enhancer transcription hyperactivation causes general transcription factor addiction during tumorigenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xinhong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, SXMU-Tsinghua Collaborative Innovation Center for Frontier Medicine, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xiangzheng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, SXMU-Tsinghua Collaborative Innovation Center for Frontier Medicine, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yingxue Du
- Tsinghua University School of Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Di Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, SXMU-Tsinghua Collaborative Innovation Center for Frontier Medicine, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Chen Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, SXMU-Tsinghua Collaborative Innovation Center for Frontier Medicine, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, SXMU-Tsinghua Collaborative Innovation Center for Frontier Medicine, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xun Lan
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, SXMU-Tsinghua Collaborative Innovation Center for Frontier Medicine, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Charles J David
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, SXMU-Tsinghua Collaborative Innovation Center for Frontier Medicine, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Qianwen Sun
- Tsinghua University School of Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Mo Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, SXMU-Tsinghua Collaborative Innovation Center for Frontier Medicine, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Cazarin J, DeRollo RE, Ahmad Shahidan SNAB, Burchett JB, Mwangi D, Krishnaiah S, Hsieh AL, Walton ZE, Brooks R, Mello SS, Weljie AM, Dang CV, Altman BJ. MYC disrupts transcriptional and metabolic circadian oscillations in cancer and promotes enhanced biosynthesis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.03.522637. [PMID: 36711638 PMCID: PMC9881876 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.03.522637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The molecular circadian clock, which controls rhythmic 24-hour oscillation of genes, proteins, and metabolites in healthy tissues, is disrupted across many human cancers. Deregulated expression of the MYC oncoprotein has been shown to alter expression of molecular clock genes, leading to a disruption of molecular clock oscillation across cancer types. It remains unclear what benefit cancer cells gain from suppressing clock oscillation, and how this loss of molecular clock oscillation impacts global gene expression and metabolism in cancer. We hypothesized that MYC or its paralog N-MYC (collectively termed MYC herein) suppress oscillation of gene expression and metabolism to upregulate pathways involved in biosynthesis in a static, non-oscillatory fashion. To test this, cells from distinct cancer types with inducible MYC were examined, using time-series RNA-sequencing and metabolomics, to determine the extent to which MYC activation disrupts global oscillation of genes, gene expression pathways, and metabolites. We focused our analyses on genes, pathways, and metabolites that changed in common across multiple cancer cell line models. We report here that MYC disrupted over 85% of oscillating genes, while instead promoting enhanced ribosomal and mitochondrial biogenesis and suppressed cell attachment pathways. Notably, when MYC is activated, biosynthetic programs that were formerly circadian flipped to being upregulated in an oscillation-free manner. Further, activation of MYC ablates the oscillation of nutrient transporter proteins while greatly upregulating transporter expression, cell surface localization, and intracellular amino acid pools. Finally, we report that MYC disrupts metabolite oscillations and the temporal segregation of amino acid metabolism from nucleotide metabolism. Our results demonstrate that MYC disruption of the molecular circadian clock releases metabolic and biosynthetic processes from circadian control, which may provide a distinct advantage to cancer cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Cazarin
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Rachel E. DeRollo
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
| | | | - Jamison B. Burchett
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Daniel Mwangi
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Saikumari Krishnaiah
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Institute of Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Chronobiology and Sleep Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Stephano S. Mello
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
- Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Aalim M. Weljie
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Institute of Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Chronobiology and Sleep Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Chi V. Dang
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY, USA
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, MD, USA
| | - Brian J. Altman
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
- Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Cazarin J, DeRollo RE, Shahidan SNABA, Burchett JB, Mwangi D, Krishnaiah S, Hsieh AL, Walton ZE, Brooks R, Mello SS, Weljie AM, Dang CV, Altman BJ. MYC disrupts transcriptional and metabolic circadian oscillations in cancer and promotes enhanced biosynthesis. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010904. [PMID: 37639465 PMCID: PMC10491404 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010904] [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: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The molecular circadian clock, which controls rhythmic 24-hour oscillation of genes, proteins, and metabolites in healthy tissues, is disrupted across many human cancers. Deregulated expression of the MYC oncoprotein has been shown to alter expression of molecular clock genes, leading to a disruption of molecular clock oscillation across cancer types. It remains unclear what benefit cancer cells gain from suppressing clock oscillation, and how this loss of molecular clock oscillation impacts global gene expression and metabolism in cancer. We hypothesized that MYC or its paralog N-MYC (collectively termed MYC herein) suppress oscillation of gene expression and metabolism to upregulate pathways involved in biosynthesis in a static, non-oscillatory fashion. To test this, cells from distinct cancer types with inducible MYC were examined, using time-series RNA-sequencing and metabolomics, to determine the extent to which MYC activation disrupts global oscillation of genes, gene expression pathways, and metabolites. We focused our analyses on genes, pathways, and metabolites that changed in common across multiple cancer cell line models. We report here that MYC disrupted over 85% of oscillating genes, while instead promoting enhanced ribosomal and mitochondrial biogenesis and suppressed cell attachment pathways. Notably, when MYC is activated, biosynthetic programs that were formerly circadian flipped to being upregulated in an oscillation-free manner. Further, activation of MYC ablates the oscillation of nutrient transporter proteins while greatly upregulating transporter expression, cell surface localization, and intracellular amino acid pools. Finally, we report that MYC disrupts metabolite oscillations and the temporal segregation of amino acid metabolism from nucleotide metabolism. Our results demonstrate that MYC disruption of the molecular circadian clock releases metabolic and biosynthetic processes from circadian control, which may provide a distinct advantage to cancer cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Cazarin
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Rachel E. DeRollo
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Siti Noor Ain Binti Ahmad Shahidan
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Jamison B. Burchett
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Daniel Mwangi
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Saikumari Krishnaiah
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Institute of Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Chronobiology and Sleep Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Annie L. Hsieh
- The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Zandra E. Walton
- The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Rebekah Brooks
- The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Stephano S. Mello
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, United States of America
- Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Aalim M. Weljie
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Institute of Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Chronobiology and Sleep Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Chi V. Dang
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, New York, New York, United States of America
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Brian J. Altman
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, United States of America
- Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Xu L, Che S, Chen H, Liu Q, Shi J, Jin J, Hou Y. PPARγ agonist inhibits c-Myc-mediated colorectal cancer tumor immune escape. J Cell Biochem 2023; 124:1145-1154. [PMID: 37393598 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.30437] [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: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
As a master transcription factor, c-Myc plays an important role in promoting tumor immune escape. In addition, PPARγ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ) regulates cell metabolism, inflammation, and tumor progression, while the effect of PPARγ on c-Myc-mediated tumor immune escape is still unclear. Here we found that cells treated with PPARγ agonist pioglitazone (PIOG) reduced c-Myc protein expression in a PPARγ-dependent manner. qPCR analysis showed that PIOG had no significant effect on c-Myc gene levels. Further analysis showed that PIOG decreased c-Myc protein half-life. Moreover, PIOG increased the binding of c-Myc to PPARγ, and induced c-Myc ubiquitination and degradation. Importantly, c-Myc increased PD-L1 and CD47 immune checkpoint protein expression and promoted tumor immune escape, while PIOG inhibited this event. These findings suggest that PPARγ agonist inhibited c-Myc-mediated tumor immune escape by inducing its ubiquitination and degradation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liuqian Xu
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Wujin Hospital, Jiangsu University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Suning Che
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Huiqing Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Qian Liu
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Wujin Hospital, Jiangsu University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
- Department of Oncology, Wujin Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Juanjuan Shi
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianhua Jin
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Wujin Hospital, Jiangsu University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
- Department of Oncology, Wujin Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Yongzhong Hou
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Wujin Hospital, Jiangsu University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Li Y, Bie J, Zhao L, Song C, Zhang T, Li M, Yang C, Luo J. SLC25A51 promotes tumor growth through sustaining mitochondria acetylation homeostasis and proline biogenesis. Cell Death Differ 2023; 30:1916-1930. [PMID: 37419986 PMCID: PMC10406869 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-023-01185-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Solute carrier family 25 member 51 (SLC25A51) was recently identified as the mammalian mitochondrial NAD+ transporter essential for mitochondria functions. However, the role of SLC25A51 in human disease, such as cancer, remains undefined. Here, we report that SLC25A51 is upregulated in multiple cancers, which promotes cancer cells proliferation. Loss of SLC25A51 elevates the mitochondrial proteins acetylation levels due to SIRT3 dysfunctions, leading to the impairment of P5CS enzymatic activity, which is the key enzyme in proline biogenesis, and the reduction in proline contents. Notably, we find fludarabine phosphate, an FDA-approved drug, is able to bind with and inhibit SLC25A51 functions, causing mitochondrial NAD+ decrease and proteins hyperacetylation, which could further synergize with aspirin to reinforce the anti-tumor efficacy. Our study reveals that SLC25A51 is an attractive anti-cancer target, and provides a novel drug combination of fludarabine phosphate with aspirin as a potential cancer therapy strategy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yutong Li
- Department of Medical Genetics, Center for Medical Genetics, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Juntao Bie
- Department of Medical Genetics, Center for Medical Genetics, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Long Zhao
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Chen Song
- Department of Medical Genetics, Center for Medical Genetics, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Tianzhuo Zhang
- Department of Medical Genetics, Center for Medical Genetics, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Meiting Li
- Department of Medical Genetics, Center for Medical Genetics, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Changjiang Yang
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Jianyuan Luo
- Department of Medical Genetics, Center for Medical Genetics, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191, China.
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Protein Posttranslational Modifications and Cell Function, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191, China.
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Liu Z, Zhang X, Xu M, Hong JJ, Ciardiello A, Lei H, Shern JF, Thiele CJ. MYCN driven oncogenesis involves cooperation with WDR5 to activate canonical MYC targets and G9a to repress differentiation genes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.11.548643. [PMID: 37781575 PMCID: PMC10541123 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.11.548643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
MYCN activates canonical MYC targets involved in ribosome biogenesis, protein synthesis and represses neuronal differentiation genes to drive oncogenesis in neuroblastoma (NB). How MYCN orchestrates global gene expression remains incompletely understood. Our study finds that MYCN binds promoters to up-regulate canonical MYC targets but binds to both enhancers and promoters to repress differentiation genes. MYCN-binding also increases H3K4me3 and H3K27ac on canonical MYC target promoters and decreases H3K27ac on neuronal differentiation gene enhancers and promoters. WDR5 is needed to facilitate MYCN promoter binding to activate canonical MYC target genes, whereas MYCN recruits G9a to enhancers to repress neuronal differentiation genes. Targeting both MYCN's active and repressive transcriptional activities using both WDR5 and G9a inhibitors synergistically suppresses NB growth. We demonstrate that MYCN cooperates with WDR5 and G9a to orchestrate global gene transcription. The targeting of both these cofactors is a novel therapeutic strategy to indirectly target the oncogenic activity of MYCN.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhihui Liu
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Xiyuan Zhang
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Man Xu
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jason J. Hong
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Amanda Ciardiello
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Haiyan Lei
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jack F. Shern
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Carol J. Thiele
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
D'Artista L, Moschopoulou AA, Barozzi I, Craig AJ, Seehawer M, Herrmann L, Minnich M, Kang TW, Rist E, Henning M, Klotz S, Heinzmann F, Harbig J, Sipos B, Longerich T, Eilers M, Dauch D, Zuber J, Wang XW, Zender L. MYC determines lineage commitment in KRAS-driven primary liver cancer development. J Hepatol 2023; 79:141-149. [PMID: 36906109 PMCID: PMC10330789 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2023.02.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Primary liver cancer (PLC) comprises hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA), two frequent and lethal tumour types that differ regarding their tumour biology and responses to cancer therapies. Liver cells harbour a high degree of cellular plasticity and can give rise to either HCC or iCCA. However, little is known about the cell-intrinsic mechanisms directing an oncogenically transformed liver cell to either HCC or iCCA. The scope of this study was to identify cell-intrinsic factors determining lineage commitment in PLC. METHODS Cross-species transcriptomic and epigenetic profiling was applied to murine HCCs and iCCAs and to two human PLC cohorts. Integrative data analysis comprised epigenetic Landscape In Silico deletion Analysis (LISA) of transcriptomic data and Hypergeometric Optimization of Motif EnRichment (HOMER) analysis of chromatin accessibility data. Identified candidate genes were subjected to functional genetic testing in non-germline genetically engineered PLC mouse models (shRNAmir knockdown or overexpression of full-length cDNAs). RESULTS Integrative bioinformatic analyses of transcriptomic and epigenetic data pinpointed the Forkhead-family transcription factors FOXA1 and FOXA2 as MYC-dependent determination factors of the HCC lineage. Conversely, the ETS family transcription factor ETS1 was identified as a determinant of the iCCA lineage, which was found to be suppressed by MYC during HCC development. Strikingly, shRNA-mediated suppression of FOXA1 and FOXA2 with concomitant ETS1 expression fully switched HCC to iCCA development in PLC mouse models. CONCLUSIONS The herein reported data establish MYC as a key determinant of lineage commitment in PLC and provide a molecular explanation why common liver-damaging risk factors such as alcoholic or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis can lead to either HCC or iCCA. IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS Liver cancer is a major health problem and comprises hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA), two frequent and lethal tumour types that differ regarding their morphology, tumour biology, and responses to cancer therapies. We identified the transcription factor and oncogenic master regulator MYC as a switch between HCC and iCCA development. When MYC levels are high at the time point when a hepatocyte becomes a tumour cell, an HCC is growing out. Conversely, if MYC levels are low at this time point, the result is the outgrowth of an iCCA. Our study provides a molecular explanation why common liver-damaging risk factors such as alcoholic or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis can lead to either HCC or iCCA. Furthermore, our data harbour potential for the development of better PLC therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luana D'Artista
- Department of Medical Oncology and Pneumology (Internal Medicine VIII), University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany; iFIT Cluster of Excellence EXC 2180 'Image Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies', University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Athina Anastasia Moschopoulou
- Department of Medical Oncology and Pneumology (Internal Medicine VIII), University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany; iFIT Cluster of Excellence EXC 2180 'Image Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies', University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Iros Barozzi
- Institute of Cancer Research, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Amanda J Craig
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Marco Seehawer
- Department of Medical Oncology and Pneumology (Internal Medicine VIII), University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany; iFIT Cluster of Excellence EXC 2180 'Image Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies', University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Lea Herrmann
- Department of Medical Oncology and Pneumology (Internal Medicine VIII), University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany; iFIT Cluster of Excellence EXC 2180 'Image Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies', University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Martina Minnich
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Tae-Won Kang
- Department of Medical Oncology and Pneumology (Internal Medicine VIII), University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany; iFIT Cluster of Excellence EXC 2180 'Image Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies', University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Elke Rist
- Department of Medical Oncology and Pneumology (Internal Medicine VIII), University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany; iFIT Cluster of Excellence EXC 2180 'Image Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies', University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Melanie Henning
- Department of Medical Oncology and Pneumology (Internal Medicine VIII), University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany; iFIT Cluster of Excellence EXC 2180 'Image Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies', University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Sabrina Klotz
- Department of Medical Oncology and Pneumology (Internal Medicine VIII), University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany; iFIT Cluster of Excellence EXC 2180 'Image Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies', University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Florian Heinzmann
- Department of Medical Oncology and Pneumology (Internal Medicine VIII), University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany; iFIT Cluster of Excellence EXC 2180 'Image Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies', University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Jule Harbig
- Department of Medical Oncology and Pneumology (Internal Medicine VIII), University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany; iFIT Cluster of Excellence EXC 2180 'Image Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies', University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Bence Sipos
- Department of Medical Oncology and Pneumology (Internal Medicine VIII), University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Longerich
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martin Eilers
- Theodor Boveri Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Daniel Dauch
- Department of Medical Oncology and Pneumology (Internal Medicine VIII), University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany; iFIT Cluster of Excellence EXC 2180 'Image Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies', University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Johannes Zuber
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria; Medical University of Vienna, Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Xin Wei Wang
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA; Liver Cancer Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Lars Zender
- Department of Medical Oncology and Pneumology (Internal Medicine VIII), University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany; iFIT Cluster of Excellence EXC 2180 'Image Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies', University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany; German Cancer Research Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Tübingen, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Whyte D, Skalka G, Walsh P, Wilczynska A, Paul NR, Mitchell C, Nixon C, Clarke W, Bushell M, Morton JP, Murphy DJ, Muthalagu N. NUAK1 governs centrosome replication in pancreatic cancer via MYPT1/PP1β and GSK3β-dependent regulation of PLK4. Mol Oncol 2023; 17:1212-1227. [PMID: 36975767 PMCID: PMC10323901 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-related kinase NUAK1 (NUAK family SNF1-like kinase 1) has emerged as a potential vulnerability in MYC-dependent cancer but the biological roles of NUAK1 in different settings are poorly characterised, and the spectrum of cancer types that exhibit a requirement for NUAK1 is unknown. Unlike canonical oncogenes, NUAK1 is rarely mutated in cancer and appears to function as an obligate facilitator rather than a cancer driver per se. Although numerous groups have developed small-molecule NUAK inhibitors, the circumstances that would trigger their use and the unwanted toxicities that may arise as a consequence of on-target activity are thus undetermined. Reasoning that MYC is a key effector of RAS pathway signalling and the GTPase KRAS is almost uniformly mutated in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), we investigated whether this cancer type exhibits a functional requirement for NUAK1. Here, we show that high NUAK1 expression is associated with reduced overall survival in PDAC and that inhibition or depletion of NUAK1 suppresses growth of PDAC cells in culture. We identify a previously unknown role for NUAK1 in regulating accurate centrosome duplication and show that loss of NUAK1 triggers genomic instability. The latter activity is conserved in primary fibroblasts, raising the possibility of undesirable genotoxic effects of NUAK1 inhibition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Declan Whyte
- School of Cancer SciencesUniversity of GlasgowUK
- CRUK Beatson InstituteGlasgowUK
| | - George Skalka
- School of Cancer SciencesUniversity of GlasgowUK
- CRUK Beatson InstituteGlasgowUK
| | - Peter Walsh
- School of Cancer SciencesUniversity of GlasgowUK
- CRUK Beatson InstituteGlasgowUK
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Martin Bushell
- School of Cancer SciencesUniversity of GlasgowUK
- CRUK Beatson InstituteGlasgowUK
| | - Jennifer P. Morton
- School of Cancer SciencesUniversity of GlasgowUK
- CRUK Beatson InstituteGlasgowUK
| | - Daniel J. Murphy
- School of Cancer SciencesUniversity of GlasgowUK
- CRUK Beatson InstituteGlasgowUK
| | - Nathiya Muthalagu
- School of Cancer SciencesUniversity of GlasgowUK
- CRUK Beatson InstituteGlasgowUK
- Present address:
Indian Institute of TechnologyMadrasIndia
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Vízkeleti L, Spisák S. Rewired Metabolism Caused by the Oncogenic Deregulation of MYC as an Attractive Therapeutic Target in Cancers. Cells 2023; 12:1745. [PMID: 37443779 PMCID: PMC10341379 DOI: 10.3390/cells12131745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
MYC is one of the most deregulated oncogenes on multiple levels in cancer. As a node transcription factor, MYC plays a diverse regulatory role in many cellular processes, including cell cycle and metabolism, both in physiological and pathological conditions. The relentless growth and proliferation of tumor cells lead to an insatiable demand for energy and nutrients, which requires the rewiring of cellular metabolism. As MYC can orchestrate all aspects of cellular metabolism, its altered regulation plays a central role in these processes, such as the Warburg effect, and is a well-established hallmark of cancer development. However, our current knowledge of MYC suggests that its spatial- and concentration-dependent contribution to tumorigenesis depends more on changes in the global or relative expression of target genes. As the direct targeting of MYC is proven to be challenging due to its relatively high toxicity, understanding its underlying regulatory mechanisms is essential for the development of tumor-selective targeted therapies. The aim of this review is to comprehensively summarize the diverse forms of MYC oncogenic deregulation, including DNA-, transcriptional- and post-translational level alterations, and their consequences for cellular metabolism. Furthermore, we also review the currently available and potentially attractive therapeutic options that exploit the vulnerability arising from the metabolic rearrangement of MYC-driven tumors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Vízkeleti
- Department of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, 1094 Budapest, Hungary;
| | - Sándor Spisák
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
D’Avola A, Kluckova K, Finch AJ, Riches JC. Spotlight on New Therapeutic Opportunities for MYC-Driven Cancers. Onco Targets Ther 2023; 16:371-383. [PMID: 37309471 PMCID: PMC10257908 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s366627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
MYC can be considered to be one of the most pressing and important targets for the development of novel anti-cancer therapies. This is due to its frequent dysregulation in tumors and due to the wide-ranging impact this dysregulation has on gene expression and cellular behavior. As a result, there have been numerous attempts to target MYC over the last few decades, both directly and indirectly, with mixed results. This article reviews the biology of MYC in the context of cancers and drug development. It discusses strategies aimed at targeting MYC directly, including those aimed at reducing its expression and blocking its function. In addition, the impact of MYC dysregulation on cellular biology is outlined, and how understanding this can underpin the development of approaches aimed at molecules and pathways regulated by MYC. In particular, the review focuses on the role that MYC plays in the regulation of metabolism, and the therapeutic avenues offered by inhibiting the metabolic pathways that are essential for the survival of MYC-transformed cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa D’Avola
- Centre for Haemato-Oncology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London, EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Katarina Kluckova
- Centre for Haemato-Oncology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London, EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Andrew J Finch
- Centre for Tumour Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London, EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - John C Riches
- Centre for Haemato-Oncology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London, EC1M 6BQ, UK
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Agarwal P, Glowacka A, Mahmoud L, Bazzar W, Larsson LG, Alzrigat M. MYCN Amplification Is Associated with Reduced Expression of Genes Encoding γ-Secretase Complex and NOTCH Signaling Components in Neuroblastoma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:8141. [PMID: 37175848 PMCID: PMC10179553 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24098141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Amplification of the MYCN oncogene is found in ~20% of neuroblastoma (NB) cases and correlates with high-risk disease and poor prognosis. Despite the plethora of studies describing the role of MYCN in NB, the exact molecular mechanisms underlying MYCN's contribution to high-risk disease are not completely understood. Herein, we implemented an integrative approach combining publicly available RNA-Seq and MYCN ChIP-Seq datasets derived from human NB cell lines to define biological processes directly regulated by MYCN in NB. Our approach revealed that MYCN-amplified NB cell lines, when compared to non-MYCN-amplified cell lines, are characterized by reduced expression of genes involved in NOTCH receptor processing, axoneme assembly, and membrane protein proteolysis. More specifically, we found genes encoding members of the γ-secretase complex, which is known for its ability to liberate several intracellular signaling molecules from membrane-bound proteins such as NOTCH receptors, to be down-regulated in MYCN-amplified NB cell lines. Analysis of MYCN ChIP-Seq data revealed an enrichment of MYCN binding at the transcription start sites of genes encoding γ-secretase complex subunits. Notably, using publicly available gene expression data from NB primary tumors, we revealed that the expression of γ-secretase subunits encoding genes and other components of the NOTCH signaling pathway was also reduced in MYCN-amplified tumors and correlated with worse overall survival in NB patients. Genetic or pharmacological depletion of MYCN in NB cell lines induced the expression of γ-secretase genes and NOTCH-target genes. Chemical inhibition of γ-secretase activity dampened the expression of NOTCH-target genes upon MYCN depletion in NB cells. In conclusion, this study defines a set of MYCN-regulated pathways that are specific to MYCN-amplified NB tumors, and it suggests a novel role for MYCN in the suppression of genes of the γ-secretase complex, with an impact on the NOTCH-target gene expression in MYCN-amplified NB.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Prasoon Agarwal
- National Bioinformatics Infrastructure Sweden (NBIS), Science for Life Laboratory, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, 22362 Lund, Sweden
| | - Aleksandra Glowacka
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17165 Solna, Sweden
| | - Loay Mahmoud
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Wesam Bazzar
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17165 Solna, Sweden
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Biomedical Center, Uppsala University, 75124 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Lars-Gunnar Larsson
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17165 Solna, Sweden
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Biomedical Center, Uppsala University, 75124 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mohammad Alzrigat
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17165 Solna, Sweden
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Biomedical Center, Uppsala University, 75124 Uppsala, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Liu C, Kudo T, Ye X, Gascoigne K. Cell-to-cell variability in Myc dynamics drives transcriptional heterogeneity in cancer cells. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112401. [PMID: 37060565 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112401] [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: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell-to-cell heterogeneity is vital for tumor evolution and survival. How cancer cells achieve and exploit this heterogeneity remains an active area of research. Here, we identify c-Myc as a highly heterogeneously expressed transcription factor and an orchestrator of transcriptional and phenotypic diversity in cancer cells. By monitoring endogenous c-Myc protein in individual living cells, we report the surprising pulsatile nature of c-Myc expression and the extensive cell-to-cell variability in its dynamics. We further show that heterogeneity in c-Myc dynamics leads to variable target gene transcription and that timing of c-Myc expression predicts cell-cycle progression rates and drug sensitivities. Together, our data advocate for a model in which cancer cells increase the heterogeneity of functionally diverse transcription factors such as c-Myc to rapidly survey transcriptional landscapes and survive stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chad Liu
- Department of Discovery Oncology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Takamasa Kudo
- Department of Cellular and Tissue Genomics, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Xin Ye
- Department of Discovery Oncology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Karen Gascoigne
- Department of Discovery Oncology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
| |
Collapse
|