Identification and Functional Characterization of Novel MYC-Regulated Long Noncoding RNAs in Group 3 Medulloblastoma

Simple Summary

Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor, which accounts for approximately 20% of all childhood brain tumors. To date, no pharmacological approaches are decisive in the treatment of this cancer, while the secondary effects of conventional therapies as chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgical interventions heavily affect the quality of life of patients. This requires the rapid development of alternative molecular therapies, which are the future challenge of personalized medicine. In this context, we addressed our research towards the most aggressive form of Medulloblastoma to identify novel genes responsible for its onset and/or progression. We discovered three newly implicated genes, for which we highlighted a contribution in the control of cancer cell features. Deepening into the Medulloblastoma biology, this study represents a further step forward for the development of molecular therapies in the era of precision oncology.

Abstract

The impact of protein-coding genes on cancer onset and progression is a well-established paradigm in molecular oncology. Nevertheless, unveiling the contribution of the noncoding genes—including long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs)—to tumorigenesis represents a great challenge for personalized medicine, since they (i) constitute the majority of the human genome, (ii) are essential and flexible regulators of gene expression and (iii) present all types of genomic alterations described for protein-coding genes. LncRNAs have been increasingly associated with cancer, their highly tissue- and cancer type-specific expression making them attractive candidates as both biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Medulloblastoma is one of the most common malignant pediatric brain tumors. Group 3 is the most aggressive subgroup, showing the highest rate of metastasis at diagnosis. Transcriptomics and reverse genetics approaches were combined to identify lncRNAs implicated in Group 3 Medulloblastoma biology. Here we present the first collection of lncRNAs dependent on the activity of the MYC oncogene, the major driver gene of Group 3 Medulloblastoma. We assessed the expression profile of selected lncRNAs in Group 3 primary tumors and functionally characterized these species. Overall, our data demonstrate the direct involvement of three lncRNAs in Medulloblastoma cancer cell phenotypes.

Finding MYCure

Inhibiting the nuclear protein MYC involved in the majority of human cancers has long been considered an impossible mission and several technical challenges have discouraged the development of MYC inhibitory strategies. Nevertheless, in our recent publication in Science Translational Medicine “Intrinsic cell-penetrating activity propels Omomyc from proof of concept to viable anti-MYC therapy”, we demonstrate for the first time the feasibility of pharmacological MYC inhibition in vitro and in vivo using an Omomyc-based mini-protein.