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Thompson PE, Shortt J. Defeating MYC with drug combinations or dual-targeting drugs. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2024; 45:490-502. [PMID: 38782688 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2024.04.008] [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: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Members of the MYC family of proteins are a major target for cancer drug discovery, but the development of drugs that block MYC-driven cancers has not yet been successful. Approaches to achieve success may include the development of combination therapies or dual-acting drugs that target MYC at multiple nodes. Such treatments hold the possibility of additive or synergistic activity, potentially reducing side effect profiles and the emergence of resistance. In this review, we examine the prominent MYC-related targets and highlight those that have been targeted in combination and/or dual-target approaches. Finally, we explore the challenges of combination and dual-target approaches from a drug development perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip E Thompson
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.
| | - Jake Shortt
- Blood Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3168, Australia; Monash Hematology, Monash Health, Melbourne, Victoria 3168, Australia; Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
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2
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Silva KCS, Tambwe N, Mahfouz DH, Wium M, Cacciatore S, Paccez JD, Zerbini LF. Transcription Factors in Prostate Cancer: Insights for Disease Development and Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approaches. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:450. [PMID: 38674385 PMCID: PMC11050257 DOI: 10.3390/genes15040450] [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: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Transcription factors (TFs) are proteins essential for the regulation of gene expression, and they regulate the genes involved in different cellular processes, such as proliferation, differentiation, survival, and apoptosis. Although their expression is essential in normal physiological conditions, abnormal regulation of TFs plays critical role in several diseases, including cancer. In prostate cancer, the most common malignancy in men, TFs are known to play crucial roles in the initiation, progression, and resistance to therapy of the disease. Understanding the interplay between these TFs and their downstream targets provides insights into the molecular basis of prostate cancer pathogenesis. In this review, we discuss the involvement of key TFs, including the E26 Transformation-Specific (ETS) Family (ERG and SPDEF), NF-κB, Activating Protein-1 (AP-1), MYC, and androgen receptor (AR), in prostate cancer while focusing on the molecular mechanisms involved in prostate cancer development. We also discuss emerging diagnostic strategies, early detection, and risk stratification using TFs. Furthermore, we explore the development of therapeutic interventions targeting TF pathways, including the use of small molecule inhibitors, gene therapies, and immunotherapies, aimed at disrupting oncogenic TF signaling and improving patient outcomes. Understanding the complex regulation of TFs in prostate cancer provides valuable insights into disease biology, which ultimately may lead to advancing precision approaches for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karla C. S. Silva
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Cape Town 7925, South Africa; (K.C.S.S.); (N.T.); (D.H.M.); (M.W.); (S.C.); (J.D.P.)
| | - Nadine Tambwe
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Cape Town 7925, South Africa; (K.C.S.S.); (N.T.); (D.H.M.); (M.W.); (S.C.); (J.D.P.)
- Integrative Biomedical Sciences Division, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
| | - Dalia H. Mahfouz
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Cape Town 7925, South Africa; (K.C.S.S.); (N.T.); (D.H.M.); (M.W.); (S.C.); (J.D.P.)
| | - Martha Wium
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Cape Town 7925, South Africa; (K.C.S.S.); (N.T.); (D.H.M.); (M.W.); (S.C.); (J.D.P.)
- Integrative Biomedical Sciences Division, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
| | - Stefano Cacciatore
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Cape Town 7925, South Africa; (K.C.S.S.); (N.T.); (D.H.M.); (M.W.); (S.C.); (J.D.P.)
- Integrative Biomedical Sciences Division, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
| | - Juliano D. Paccez
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Cape Town 7925, South Africa; (K.C.S.S.); (N.T.); (D.H.M.); (M.W.); (S.C.); (J.D.P.)
| | - Luiz F. Zerbini
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Cape Town 7925, South Africa; (K.C.S.S.); (N.T.); (D.H.M.); (M.W.); (S.C.); (J.D.P.)
- Integrative Biomedical Sciences Division, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
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Zacarías-Fluck MF, Soucek L, Whitfield JR. MYC: there is more to it than cancer. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1342872. [PMID: 38510176 PMCID: PMC10952043 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1342872] [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: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
MYC is a pleiotropic transcription factor involved in multiple cellular processes. While its mechanism of action and targets are not completely elucidated, it has a fundamental role in cellular proliferation, differentiation, metabolism, ribogenesis, and bone and vascular development. Over 4 decades of research and some 10,000 publications linking it to tumorigenesis (by searching PubMed for "MYC oncogene") have led to MYC becoming a most-wanted target for the treatment of cancer, where many of MYC's physiological functions become co-opted for tumour initiation and maintenance. In this context, an abundance of reviews describes strategies for potentially targeting MYC in the oncology field. However, its multiple roles in different aspects of cellular biology suggest that it may also play a role in many additional diseases, and other publications are indeed linking MYC to pathologies beyond cancer. Here, we review these physiological functions and the current literature linking MYC to non-oncological diseases. The intense efforts towards developing MYC inhibitors as a cancer therapy will potentially have huge implications for the treatment of other diseases. In addition, with a complementary approach, we discuss some diseases and conditions where MYC appears to play a protective role and hence its increased expression or activation could be therapeutic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariano F. Zacarías-Fluck
- Models of Cancer Therapies Laboratory, Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Soucek
- Models of Cancer Therapies Laboratory, Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
- Peptomyc S.L., Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jonathan R. Whitfield
- Models of Cancer Therapies Laboratory, Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
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Carrizosa-Molina T, Casillas-Díaz N, Pérez-Nadador I, Vales-Villamarín C, López-Martínez MÁ, Riveiro-Álvarez R, Wilhelm L, Cervera-Juanes R, Garcés C, Lomniczi A, Soriano-Guillén L. Methylation analysis by targeted bisulfite sequencing in large for gestational age (LGA) newborns: the LARGAN cohort. Clin Epigenetics 2023; 15:191. [PMID: 38093359 PMCID: PMC10717641 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-023-01612-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In 1990, David Barker proposed that prenatal nutrition is directly linked to adult cardiovascular disease. Since then, the relationship between adult cardiovascular risk, metabolic syndrome and birth weight has been widely documented. Here, we used the TruSeq Methyl Capture EPIC platform to compare the methylation patterns in cord blood from large for gestational age (LGA) vs adequate for gestational age (AGA) newborns from the LARGAN cohort. RESULTS We found 1672 differentially methylated CpGs (DMCs) with a nominal p < 0.05 and 48 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) with a corrected p < 0.05 between the LGA and AGA groups. A systems biology approach identified several biological processes significantly enriched with genes in association with DMCs with FDR < 0.05, including regulation of transcription, regulation of epinephrine secretion, norepinephrine biosynthesis, receptor transactivation, forebrain regionalization and several terms related to kidney and cardiovascular development. Gene ontology analysis of the genes in association with the 48 DMRs identified several significantly enriched biological processes related to kidney development, including mesonephric duct development and nephron tubule development. Furthermore, our dataset identified several DNA methylation markers enriched in gene networks involved in biological pathways and rare diseases of the cardiovascular system, kidneys, and metabolism. CONCLUSIONS Our study identified several DMCs/DMRs in association with fetal overgrowth. The use of cord blood as a material for the identification of DNA methylation biomarkers gives us the possibility to perform follow-up studies on the same patients as they grow. These studies will not only help us understand how the methylome responds to continuum postnatal growth but also link early alterations of the DNA methylome with later clinical markers of growth and metabolic fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Carrizosa-Molina
- Department of Pediatrics, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Avda. Reyes Católicos, 2, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Natalia Casillas-Díaz
- Department of Pediatrics, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Avda. Reyes Católicos, 2, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Miguel Ángel López-Martínez
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rosa Riveiro-Álvarez
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Larry Wilhelm
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Rita Cervera-Juanes
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Carmen Garcés
- Lipid Research Laboratory, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alejandro Lomniczi
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Dalhousie University School of Medicine, 5850 College Street, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada.
| | - Leandro Soriano-Guillén
- Department of Pediatrics, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Avda. Reyes Católicos, 2, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
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Hamilton G, Stickler S, Rath B. Integration of signaling pathway and bromodomain and extra-terminal domain inhibition for the treatment of mutant Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog cancer. EXPLORATION OF TARGETED ANTI-TUMOR THERAPY 2023; 4:1027-1038. [PMID: 38023987 PMCID: PMC10651355 DOI: 10.37349/etat.2023.00178] [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: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutant Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) is now a drugable oncogenic driver and the KRAS G12C variant responds clinically to sotorasib and adagrasib that covalently block the cysteine of the active center and inhibit downstream signaling and proliferation. Unfortunately, progression-free survival (PFS) of lung cancer patients is only 5-6 months and no survival advantage has been found for sotorasib in comparison to docetaxel chemotherapy. Increased responses to KRAS inhibitors are tested in combination with the son of sevenless 1 (SOS1) inhibitors, upstream and downstream signaling modulators as well as chemotherapeutics. Some of these approaches are limited by toxicity to normal tissues and by diverse mechanisms of resistance. In essence, most of these attempts are directed to the inhibition of proliferation by impairment of the signal transduction pathways. The final target of KRAS-mediated growth stimulation is MYC in the cell nucleus that stimulates transcription of a host of genes. In detail, MYC alters genomic enhancer and super-enhancers of transcription that are frequently deregulated in cancer. Such enhancers can be targeted by bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) inhibitors (BETi) or degraders and this review discusses whether integrated SOS1 inhibition and BET targeting of MYC synergizes against mutant KRAS tumor growth. BET degraders in the form of proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) combined with BAY-293-mediated SOS1 inhibition revealed marked cytotoxic synergy against mutant KRAS cancer cells and may constitute a promising option for clinical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerhard Hamilton
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Sandra Stickler
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Barbara Rath
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
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García-Caballero D, Hart JR, Vogt PK. Long Non-Coding RNAs as "MYC Facilitators". PATHOPHYSIOLOGY 2023; 30:389-399. [PMID: 37755396 PMCID: PMC10534484 DOI: 10.3390/pathophysiology30030030] [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: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
In this article, we discuss a class of MYC-interacting lncRNAs (long non-coding RNAs) that share the following criteria: They are direct transcriptional targets of MYC. Their expression is coordinated with the expression of MYC. They are required for sustained MYC-driven cell proliferation, and they are not essential for cell survival. We refer to these lncRNAs as "MYC facilitators" and discuss two representative members of this class of lncRNAs, SNHG17 (small nuclear RNA host gene) and LNROP (long non-coding regulator of POU2F2). We also present a general hypothesis on the role of lncRNAs in MYC-mediated transcriptional regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Peter K. Vogt
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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Prochownik EV, Wang H. Lessons in aging from Myc knockout mouse models. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1244321. [PMID: 37621775 PMCID: PMC10446843 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1244321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite MYC being among the most intensively studied oncogenes, its role in normal development has not been determined as Myc-/- mice do not survival beyond mid-gestation. Myc ± mice live longer than their wild-type counterparts and are slower to accumulate many age-related phenotypes. However, Myc haplo-insufficiency likely conceals other important phenotypes as many high-affinity Myc targets genes continue to be regulated normally. By delaying Myc inactivation until after birth it has recently been possible to study the consequences of its near-complete total body loss and thus to infer its normal function. Against expectation, these "MycKO" mice lived significantly longer than control wild-type mice but manifested a marked premature aging phenotype. This seemingly paradoxical behavior was potentially explained by a >3-fold lower lifetime incidence of cancer, normally the most common cause of death in mice and often Myc-driven. Myc loss accelerated the accumulation of numerous "Aging Hallmarks", including the loss of mitochondrial and ribosomal structural and functional integrity, the generation of reactive oxygen species, the acquisition of genotoxic damage, the detrimental rewiring of metabolism and the onset of senescence. In both mice and humans, normal aging in many tissues was accompaniued by the downregulation of Myc and the loss of Myc target gene regulation. Unlike most mouse models of premature aging, which are based on monogenic disorders of DNA damage recognition and repair, the MycKO mouse model directly impacts most Aging Hallmarks and may therefore more faithfully replicate the normal aging process of both mice and humans. It further establishes that the strong association between aging and cancer can be genetically separated and is maintained by a single gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward V. Prochownik
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- The Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- The Hillman Cancer Center of UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- The Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Huabo Wang
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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Murti K, Fender H, Glatzle C, Wismer R, Sampere-Birlanga S, Wild V, Muhammad K, Rosenwald A, Serfling E, Avots A. Calcineurin-independent NFATc1 signaling is essential for survival of Burkitt lymphoma cells. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1205788. [PMID: 37546418 PMCID: PMC10403262 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1205788] [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: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In Burkitt lymphoma (BL), a tumor of germinal center B cells, the pro-apoptotic properties of MYC are controlled by tonic B cell receptor (BCR) signals. Since BL cells do not exhibit constitutive NF-κB activity, we hypothesized that anti-apoptotic NFATc1 proteins provide a major transcriptional survival signal in BL. Here we show that post-transcriptional mechanisms are responsible for the calcineurin (CN) independent constitutive nuclear over-expression of NFATc1 in BL and Eµ-MYC - induced B cell lymphomas (BCL). Conditional inactivation of the Nfatc1 gene in B cells of Eµ-MYC mice leads to apoptosis of BCL cells in vivo and ex vivo. Inhibition of BCR/SYK/BTK/PI3K signals in BL cells results in cytosolic re-location of NFATc1 and apoptosis. Therefore, NFATc1 activity is an integrated part of tonic BCR signaling and an alternative target for therapeutic intervention in BL.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Andris Avots
- *Correspondence: Edgar Serfling, ; Andris Avots,
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