Selective activation of apoptosis by a novel set of 4-aryl-3-(3-aryl-1-oxo-2-propenyl)-2(1H)-quinolinones through a Myc-dependent pathway

Oncogene addiction due to Myc deregulation has been identified in a variety of tumor types. In order to identify pharmacological agents that cause selective apoptosis in tumors with deregulated Myc expression, we designed a cell-based screening assay based on our Anti-cancer Screening Apoptosis Program (ASAP) technology targeting increased activity in a “Myc-addicted” cancer cell panel. We have identified a novel set of substituted 4-aryl-3-(3-aryl-1-oxo-2-propenyl)-2(1H)-quinolinones that activates apoptosis in cancer cell lines with deregulated Myc, but show low activity in cell lines where Myc is not deregulated. Apoptosis induced by these compounds is rapid, and is associated with a significant downregulation of Myc protein. Selective knockdown of Myc levels in these cells by RNA interference increased sensitivity to apoptosis with compound treatment. By targeting the Myc pathway in Myc-addicted cancer cells, we have identified a novel class of apoptotic inducers that selectively and efficiently target cancer cells with deregulated Myc.     

Myc pathways provoking cell suicide and cancer

A paradox for the cancer biology field has been the revelation that oncogenes, once thought to simply provide advantages to a cancer cell, actually put it at dire risk of cell suicide. Myc is the quintessential oncogene in this respect, as in normal cells it is required for cell cycle traverse, whereas in cancers it is overexpressed and functions as the angiogenic switch. Nonetheless, Myc overexpression kills normal cells dead in their tracks. Here we review Myc-induced pathways that contribute to the apoptotic response. Molecular analysis of Myc-induced tumors has established that some of these apoptotic pathways are essential checkpoints that guard the cell from cancer, as they are selectively bypassed during tumorigenesis. The precise mechanism(s) by which Myc targets these pathways are largely unresolved, but we propose that they involve crosstalk and feedback regulatory loops between arbiters of cell death.     

Drug-induced Myc-mediated apoptosis of cancer cells is inhibited by stress protein Hsp70

The Myc oncoprotein serves a dual function by stimulating cells both towards growth and apoptosis. The latter functions are often abrogated during tumor development. The Hsp70 stress protein is a potent anti-apoptotic molecule, but its potential role in protecting cells from Myc-mediated apoptosis has not been investigated. Our results show that activated Myc potentiated apoptosis induced by the cancer drugs etoposide (ETO) and camptothecin (CAMP) in v-Myc-expressing human U-937 monoblastic cells and in Rat1 cells containing a conditionally active Myc/estrogen receptor (MycER) fusion protein. However, both heat shock and ectopic Hsp70 expression protected the cells from Myc-mediated apoptosis after drug treatment in both systems. The increased susceptibility to the anti-tumor drugs by activated Myc was enhanced by siRNA-mediated knockdown of Hsp70 expression in U-937 cells. Addressing the mechanisms by which Myc and Hsp70 promotes and inhibits drug-induced apoptosis, respectively, we found that v-Myc stimulated cytochrome c release and activation of effector caspase-9, -3 and -7, but not of initiator caspase-8. Inhibition of caspase-9 specifically reduced v-Myc-stimulated apoptosis, whereas inhibition of caspase-8 and -3/7 reduced apoptosis both in v-myc-expressing and parental ETO-treated U-937 cells. Interestingly, Myc-stimulated activation of effector caspases was inhibited, but cytochrome c release was not affected by Hsp70 expression, suggesting that Hsp70 interferes with the proapoptotic function of Myc downstream of mitochondria, at the level of caspase-9 and downstream caspases. In conclusion, Hsp70 seems to have key function in inhibition of apoptosis mediated by Myc and may therefore play an important role in Myc-driven oncogenesis.     

Defining a role for c-Myc in breast tumorigenesis

The proto-oncogene c-myc is commonly amplified and overexpressed in human breast tumors, and the tumorigenic potential of c-myc overexpression in mammary tissue has been confirmed by both in vitro and in vivo models of breast cancer. However, the mechanisms by which Myc promotes tumorigenesis are not well understood. Recent evidence indicates that Myc can promote cell proliferation as well as cell death via apoptosis. These studies provide new insight and impetus in defining a role for c-Myc in breast tumorigenesis and may point toward novel targets for breast cancer therapy.     

Disruption of Myc-Max Heterodimerization with Improved Cell-Penetrating Analogs of the Small Molecule 10074-G5

The c-Myc (Myc) oncoprotein is a high-value therapeutic target given that it is deregulated in multiple types of cancer. However, potent small molecule inhibitors of Myc have been difficult to identify, particularly those whose mechanism relies on blocking the association between Myc and its obligate heterodimerization partner, Max. We have recently reported a structure-activity relationship study of one such small molecule, 10074-G5, and generated an analog, JY-3-094, with significantly improved ability to prevent or disrupt the association between recombinant Myc and Max proteins. However, JY-3094 penetrates cells poorly. Here, we show that esterification of a critical para-carboxylic acid function of JY-3-094 by various blocking groups significantly improves cellular uptake although it impairs the ability to disrupt Myc-Max association in vitro. These pro-drugs are highly concentrated within cells where JY-3-094 is then generated by the action of esterases. However, the pro-drugs are also variably susceptible to extracellular esterases, which can deplete extracellular reservoirs. Furthermore, while JY-3-094 is retained by cells for long periods of time, much of it is compartmentalized within the cytoplasm in a form that appears to be less available to interact with Myc. Our results suggest that persistently high extracellular levels of pro-drug, without excessive susceptibility to extracellular esterases, are critical to establishing and maintaining intracellular levels of JY-3-094 that are sufficient to provide for long-term inhibition of Myc-Max association. Analogs of JY-3-094 appear to represent promising small molecule Myc inhibitors that warrant further optimization.     

Myc在小细胞肺癌中的研究进展

小细胞肺癌（small cell lung cancer，SCLC）是一种侵袭性恶性肿瘤，占所有肺癌诊断的14％。尽管经过了数十年的积极研究，SCLC的治疗方案仍然有限。迄今为止，SCLC还没有批准的靶向药物，因此需要进一步研究SCLC的靶向治疗。作为SCLC中常见的一种遗传畸变，Myc家族成员显得尤为突出。过去几年的研究表明，直接靶向Myc显得寸步难行，故人们广泛研究了间接抑制Myc活性的方法。在这篇综述中，我们描述了Myc的概念和它在SCLC中的作用，回顾了SCLC现有的治疗方法，总结了Myc抑制剂在SCLC中的最新研究进展。     

miR-26a通过调控E2F7、Myc抑制乳腺癌MDA-MB-231细胞的增殖和迁移能力

目的:研究miR-26a对乳腺癌MDA-MB-231细胞增殖和迁移能力的影响,并分析miR-26a 调控增殖与迁移的可能机制。方法:应用实时荧光定量PCR法(QPCR)检测乳腺癌细胞系和正常乳腺上皮细胞中miR-26a的表达水平,并检测三阴型乳腺癌组织及相应正常乳腺组织中miR-26a与E2F7 mRNA的表达水平。应用脂质体介导的方法,以miR-26a mimics与E2F7 siRNA瞬时转染MDA-MB-231细胞,实时荧光定量PCR法检测miR-26a表达水平,Western blot法检测E2F7、Myc蛋白的表达水平。MTT法检测MDA-MB-231细胞的增殖能力,划痕实验检测MDA-MB-231细胞迁移能力。结果:乳腺癌细胞中miR-26a的表达水平均低于正常乳腺细胞MCF-10A,且三阴型乳腺癌细胞表达水平降低最明显。三阴型乳腺癌组织中miR-26a相对于正常乳腺组织表达减低,而E2F7 mRNA表达则显著升高。miR-26a mimics转染后miR-26a表达水平显著升高,miR-26a过表达可抑制E2F7、Myc蛋白的表达;E2F7 siRNA转染后E2F7表达水平减低,Myc蛋白表达亦减低。MTT实验结果示miR-26a过表达可抑制MDA-MB-231细胞增殖,划痕实验示miR-26a过表达可抑制乳腺癌MDA-MB-231细胞迁移能力。结论:miR-26a可能通过抑制E2F7、Myc调控乳腺癌MDA-MB-231细胞的增殖与迁移能力。     

Down-regulation of miR-212 expression by DNA hypermethylation in human gastric cancer cells

There has been few report discussing the expression and function of miR-212 in gastric cancer (GC). The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the expression of miR-212 in both gastric cancer tissues and gastric cancer cells and further explores the possible reasons for this change and the impact on the development of gastric cancer. qRT-PCR was used to detect the expression of miR-212 in primary GC tissues, adjacent normal tissues, gastric cancer cell lines BGC-823, SGC-7901, MKN-45, and normal gastric mucosa cell line GES. The expression of miR-212 was evaluated before and after treatment with methylation inhibitor-5-Aza-2'-deoxycitidine (5-Aza-dC), finally anti-miRNA and dual luciferase reporter assay were used to prove that MYC is a target gene of miR-212. The results showed that a significant reduction of miR-212 expression in GC tissues was observed compared to that in normal tissues (P = 0.002). At the same time, miR-212 expression level in normal gastric mucosa cell line GES was higher than that of in gastric cancer cell lines BGC-823, SGC-7901, and MKN-45 (P = 0.015, 0.008, 0.044, respectively). Computer sequence analysis showed the hypermethylation of CpG islands(CPI) in the promoter regions of miR-212 led to the lower expression of miR-212 in gastric cell strains (BGC-823 and SGC-7901). MiR-212 expression was significantly recovered after treatment with methylation inhibitor 5-Aza-dC (P = 0.016, 0.000, 0.015, respectively). Then, the results of AMOs transfection and dual luciferase reporter assay showed that Myc is a target of miR-212, which will be helpful to verify the function of miR-212 in carcinogenesis. The conclusion could be deduced from the study that decreased expression of miR-212 may be due to hypermethylation of CPI in gastric cancer cells, and miR-212 might act on the progression of gastric cancer through the potential target gene Myc.