N-Myc Activity Research Articles

The Myc Family and the Metastasis Suppressor NDRG1: Targeting Key Molecular Interactions with Innovative Therapeutics.

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, resulting in ∼10 million deaths in 2020. Major oncogenic effectors are the Myc proto-oncogene family, which consists of three members including c-Myc, N-Myc, and L-Myc. As a pertinent example of the role of the Myc family in tumorigenesis, amplification of MYCN in childhood neuroblastoma strongly correlates with poor patient prognosis. Complexes between Myc oncoproteins and their partners such as hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and Myc-associated protein X (MAX) result in proliferation arrest and pro-proliferative effects, respectively. Interactions with other proteins are also important for N-Myc activity. For instance, the enhancer of zest homolog 2 (EZH2) binds directly to N-Myc to stabilize it by acting as a competitor against the ubiquitin ligase, SCFFBXW7, which prevents proteasomal degradation. Heat shock protein 90 may also be involved in N-Myc stabilization since it binds to EZH2 and prevents its degradation. N-Myc downstream-regulated gene 1 (NDRG1) is downregulated by N-Myc and participates in the regulation of cellular proliferation via associating with other proteins, such as glycogen synthase kinase-3β and low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6. These molecular interactions provide a better understanding of the biologic roles of N-Myc and NDRG1, which can be potentially used as therapeutic targets. In addition to directly targeting these proteins, disrupting their key interactions may also be a promising strategy for anti-cancer drug development. This review examines the interactions between the Myc proteins and other molecules, with a special focus on the relationship between N-Myc and NDRG1 and possible therapeutic interventions. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Neuroblastoma is one of the most common childhood solid tumors, with a dismal five-year survival rate. This problem makes it imperative to discover new and more effective therapeutics. The molecular interactions between major oncogenic drivers of the Myc family and other key proteins; for example, the metastasis suppressor, NDRG1, may potentially be used as targets for anti-neuroblastoma drug development. In addition to directly targeting these proteins, disrupting their key molecular interactions may also be promising for drug discovery.

Molecular Mechanisms of Hepatoblastoma.

Hepatoblastoma (HB) is the predominant primary liver tumor in children. While the prognosis is favorable when the tumor can be resected, the outcome is dismal for patients with progressed HB. Therefore, a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms responsible for HB is imperative for early detection and effective treatment. Sequencing analysis of human HB specimens unraveled the pivotal role of Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation in this disease. Nonetheless, β-catenin activation alone does not suffice to induce HB, implying the need for additional alterations. Perturbations of several pathways, including Hippo, Hedgehog, NRF2/KEAP1, HGF/c-Met, NK-1R/SP, and PI3K/AKT/mTOR cascades and aberrant activation of c-MYC, n-MYC, and EZH2 proto-oncogenes, have been identified in HB, although their role requires additional investigation. Here, we summarize the current knowledge on HB molecular pathogenesis, the relevance of the preclinical findings for the human disease, and the innovative therapeutic strategies that could be beneficial for the treatment of HB patients.

HAUSP deubiquitinates and stabilizes N-Myc in neuroblastoma.

The MYCN protooncogene is amplified in a number of advanced-stage human tumors such as neuroblastomas. Like other members of Myc family proteins, N-Myc is a transcription factor and its stability and activity are tightly controlled by ubiquitination-dependent proteasome degradation1-4. Although numerous studies demonstrate that N-Myc acts as a driver of neuroblastoma tumorigenesis, therapies that directly suppress N-Myc activity in human tumors are limited. Here, we have identified the herpesvirus-associated ubiquitin-specific protease (HAUSP or USP75-7) as a regulator of N-Myc in neuroblastoma. HAUSP interacts with N-Myc, and HAUSP expression induces deubiquitination and subsequent stabilization of N-Myc. Conversely, RNAi-mediated knockdown of HAUSP in neuroblastoma cancer cell lines, or genetic ablation of Hausp in the mouse brain destabilizes N-Myc, which leads to inhibition of N-Myc function. Notably, HAUSP is more abundant in neuroblastoma patients with poorer prognosis and HAUSP expression significantly correlates with N-Myc transcriptional activity. Furthermore, small molecule inhibitors against HAUSP deubiquitinase activity significantly suppress the growth of MYCN-amplified human neuroblastoma cell lines in xenograft mouse models. Together, our findings demonstrate a crucial role of HAUSP in regulating N-Myc function in vivo and suggest that HAUSP inhibition is a potential therapy for MYCN-amplified tumors.

Abstract B32: The role of Exon 0 in mediating Mxi0 activity in neuroblastoma

Abstract Background: Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial malignancy of childhood. The Myc family of proteins regulates cell growth and proliferation and has been implicated in the etiology of many cancers. MYCN amplified neuroblastoma is associated with a poor prognosis. Investigating specific tumor pathways will further our understanding of neuroblastoma pathogenesis and lead to future therapeutic options. Mxi1 is a member of the MAD family that inhibits N-Myc activity. Mxi0 is an alternatively spliced variant of Mxi1 with a different first exon (Exon 0) whose function has not been determined. These proteins appear to have differential functions in neuroblastoma pathogenesis. Objective: Elucidate the impact of Mxi1 and Mxi0 expression on neuroblastoma physiology and determine the role of Exon 0 in the function of Mxi0. Design: We created neuroblastoma cell lines with inducible expression of Mxi1 and Mxi0 to tightly control expression. Cell proliferation and survival were quantified using BrdU and MTT assays. Chemosensitivity was assessed by treating cells with doxorubicin or etoposide after induction of Mxi1 or Mxi0 expression. Cell viability was then measured by by MTT assay. To help examine the role of Exon 0, we utilized GFP tagged constructs of Mxi1, Mxi0, and Exon 0. These proteins were expressed in 293T cells and subcellular localization of Mxi1, Mxi0, and Exon 0 proteins was then detected by immunofluorescence. To assess the role of nuclear export in cell localization, cells were treated with leptomycin B. Results: Overexpression of Mxi1 inhibits N-Myc mediated cell proliferation. Conversely, overexpression of Mxi0 in neuroblastoma cell lines leads to enhanced proliferation, suggesting that Mxi0 has a counter-regulatory role to that of Mxi1. Compared with Mxi1, expression of Mxi0 results in cells becoming more chemoresistant. Examination of Mxi1 and Mxi0 subcellular location reveals that Mxi1 resides in the nucleus while Mxi0 is found primarily in the cytoplasm. Exon 0 alone also is found in the cytoplasm, indicating that this differential localization is determined by the presence of Exon 0. Finally, treatment with leptomycin B resulted in accumulation of Mxi0 in the nucleus, suggesting that it may cycle in and out of the nucleus in response to appropriate signals. Conclusions: Overexpression of Mxi1 in neuroblastoma cell lines leads to inhibition of N-Myc-mediated cell proliferation while Mxi0 appears to promote cell growth. Mxi1 expression enhances chemosensitivity of neuroblastoma cells, while Mxi0 has the opposite effect. Exon 0 directs the cytoplasmic localization of Mxi0 and may play an important role in its differential function. A better understanding of how the interaction between Mxi1 and Mxi0 affects neuroblastoma physiology and how Exon 0 imparts the differential function of Mxi0 may aid in developing more effective targeted therapies to improve outcomes in children with neuroblastoma. Citation Format: Stephen J. Kirchner, James T. Bartram, D. Christian Ellis, Daniel S. Wechsler, Michael B. Armstrong. The role of Exon 0 in mediating Mxi0 activity in neuroblastoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advances in Pediatric Cancer Research: From Mechanisms and Models to Treatment and Survivorship; 2015 Nov 9-12; Fort Lauderdale, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(5 Suppl):Abstract nr B32.

Low-level GATA2 overexpression promotes myeloid progenitor self-renewal and blocks lymphoid differentiation in mice

The transcription factor GATA2 is highly expressed in hematopoietic stem cells and is downregulated during lineage maturation. Gain of function mutations, loss of function mutations, and overexpression of GATA2 have been reported in acute myeloid leukemia. In previous studies, we and others showed that GATA2 overexpression at high levels, similar to that seen in hematopoietic stem cells, blocked differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells and progenitors. To better understand the effects of GATA2, we designed a Tamoxifen-inducible GATA2-estrogen receptor (ERT) vector. In the absence of Tamoxifen, small amounts of GATA2-ERT were still able to enter the nucleus in mouse bone marrow (BM) cells, providing us with a tool to test the effects of low-level GATA2 overexpression. We observed that this low-level GATA2 overexpression enhanced self-renewal of myeloid progenitors invitro and resulted in immortalization of BM cells to myeloid cell lines. Continuous GATA2-ERT expression was required for the proliferation of these immortalized lines. Myeloid expansion and a block in T and B lineage differentiation were observed in mice transplanted with GATA2-ERT-expressing BM cells. Myeloid expansion occurred after the granulocyte monocyte progenitor stage, and lymphoid block was distal to the common lymphoid progenitor in transgenic mice. GATA2 appeared to induce growth via downstream activation of Nmyc and Hoxa9. Our results demonstrate that GATA2 overexpression at low level confers self-renewal capacity to myeloid progenitors and is relevant to myeloid leukemia development.

Mxi1 and Mxi1-0 Antagonize N-Myc Function and Independently Mediate Apoptosis in Neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma (NB) is the third most common malignancy of childhood, and outcomes for children with advanced disease remain poor; amplification of the MYCN gene portends a particularly poor prognosis. Mxi1 antagonizes N-Myc by competing for binding to Max and E-boxes. Unlike N-Myc, Mxi1 mediates transcriptional repression and suppresses cell proliferation. Mxi1 and Mxi1-0 (an alternatively transcribed Mxi1 isoform) share identical Max and DNA binding domains but differ in amino-terminal sequences. Because of the conservation of these critical binding domains, we hypothesized that Mxi1-0 antagonizes N-Myc activity similar to Mxi1. SHEP NB cells and SHEP cells stably transfected with MYCN (SHEP/MYCN) were transiently transfected with vectors containing full-length Mxi1, full-length Mxi1-0, or the common Mxi domain encoded by exons 2 to 6 (ex2-6). After incubation in low serum, parental SHEP/MYCN cell numbers were reduced compared with SHEP cells. Activated caspase-3 staining and DNA fragmentation ELISA confirmed that SHEP/MYCN cells undergo apoptosis in low serum, while SHEP/MYCN cells transfected with Mxi1 or Mxi1-0 do not. However, SHEP/MYCN cells transfected with Mxi1 or Mxi1-0 and grown in normal serum showed proliferation rates similar to SHEP cells. Mxi ex2-6 did not affect cell number in low or normal serum, suggesting that amino terminal domains of Mxi1 and Mxi1-0 are critical for antagonism. In the absence of N-Myc, Mxi1 and Mxi1-0 induce apoptosis independently through the caspase-8–dependent extrinsic pathway, while N-Myc activates the caspase-9–dependent intrinsic pathway. Together, these data indicate that Mxi1 and Mxi1-0 antagonize N-Myc but also independently impact NB cell survival.

A Novel Enhancer Region 1.7Mb Downstream of the C-Myc Gene Drives Its Expression in Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells

The c-MYC transcription factor is a central regulator of cellular proliferation, growth, metabolism and differentiation in many cell types including stem cells (1). Although it is known that c-Myc expression is tightly controlled and can drive transformation if de-regulated, the mechanisms of its transcriptional regulation remain elusive. Besides its promoter, which is not sufficient to account for Myc endogenous expression, only a few cis-regulatory elements have been defined. c-Myc is located within a 4 Mb-long gene-poor region, which coincides with a large topologically associating domain (TAD) (2). At the distal end of this TAD, 1.7 Mb downstream of the mouse c-Myc gene, we identified a cluster of enhancer-associated chromatin marks which were present only in hematopoietic tissues. A LacZ reporter gene inserted next to this cluster showed specific expression in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and progenitor cells. Mice homozygous for a deletion of this enhancer region showed decreased myeloid and B cells, while HSCs, multipotent progenitors and megakaryocytes accumulated in the bone marrow. This phenotype closely mimicked the phenotype of mice in which the c-Myc gene was conditionally deleted using Mx1-Cre (3). Importantly, gene expression analysis showed that the deletion of this enhancer region led to a dramatic reduction of Myc expression in HSCs, multipotent progenitors and most mature cell types. Furthermore, compound heterozygous mice carrying one enhancer deletion allele and one c-Myc null allele demonstrated very similar hematopoietic defects to that of homozygous c-Myc null mice, showing allelism between c-Myc and the enhancer region. Altogether, these data provide genetic evidence that this enhancer region directly controls, in cis, c-Myc expression in HSC/progenitor cells. As the region is composed of multiple modules, we examined the relative enrichment of the enhancer-associated H3K27ac mark by ChIP for the different modules in different hematopoietic lineages. This analysis suggested that selective enhancer elements contribute differently to c-Myc expression in either granulocytes or HSC/progenitors. Interestingly, this highly conserved enhancer region is focally amplified in a number of AML patients, suggesting that it may be a critical component driving the increased Myc expression found in leukemias. In summary, we identified a distant hematopoietic-specific enhancer region for c-Myc and provide data which supports its critical function as a key regulatory region in normal hematopoiesis and highlights a potential role in leukemic transformation.(1) Laurenti et al. (2008). Hematopoietic stem cell function and survival depend on c-Myc and N-Myc activity. Cell Stem Cell 3(6): 611-624.(2) Dixon et al. (2012). Topological domains in mammalian genomes identified by analysis of chromatin interactions. Nature 485(7398): 376-380.(3) Wilson et al. (2004). c-Myc controls the balance between hematopoietic stem cell self-renewal and differentiation. Genes Dev 18(22): 2747-2763. DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

A new gene that promotes NMYC activity

A new gene that promotes NMYC activity

MicroRNA 22 Regulates Cell Cycle Length in Cerebellar Granular Neuron Precursors

During cerebellum development, Sonic hedgehog (Shh)-induced proliferation of cerebellar granular neuronal precursors (CGNPs) is potently inhibited by bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs). We have previously reported the upregulation of TIEG-1 and Mash1, two antimitotic factors that modulate MYCN transcription and N-Myc activity, in response to BMP2. To gain further insight into the BMP antimitotic mechanism, we used microRNA (miRNA) arrays to compare the miRNAs of CGNPs proliferating in response to Shh with those of CGNPs treated with Shh plus BMP2. The array analysis revealed that miRNA 11 (miR-22) levels significantly increased in cells treated with BMP2. Additionally, in P7 mouse cerebellum, miR-22 distribution mostly recapitulated the combination of BMP2 and BMP4 expression patterns. Accordingly, in CGNP cultures, miR-22 overexpression significantly reduced cell proliferation, whereas miR-22 suppression diminished BMP2 antiproliferative activity. In contrast to BMP2, miR-22 did not induce neural differentiation but instead significantly increased cell cycle length. Consistent with the central role played by N-myc on CGNP proliferation, Max was revealed as a direct target of miR-22, and miR-22 expression caused a significant reduction of Max protein levels and N-myc/Max-dependent promoter activity. Therefore, we conclude that, in addition to the previously described mechanisms, miR-22 plays a specific role on downstream BMPs through cerebellum growth.

Aurora A kinase regulates N-myc activity through phosphorylation of GSK3-beta and beta-catenin

Aurora A kinase regulates N-myc activity through phosphorylation of GSK3-beta and beta-catenin

Sequential Activation of Snail1 and N-Myc Modulates Sonic Hedgehog–Induced Transformation of Neural Cells

Activation of the Sonic hedgehog (Shh) pathway and increased expression of Gli1 play an important role in proliferation and transformation of granule cell progenitors (GCP) in the developing cerebellum. Medulloblastomas arising from cerebellar GCPs are frequently driven by Shh pathway-activating mutations; however, molecular mechanisms of Shh pathway dysregulation and transformation of neural progenitors remain poorly defined. We report that the transcription factor and oncogene Snail1 (Sna1) is directly induced by Shh pathway activity in GCPs, murine medulloblastomas, and human medulloblastoma cells. Enforced expression of Sna1 was sufficient to induce GCPs and medulloblastoma cell proliferation in the absence of Shh/Gli1 exposure. In addition, enforced expression of Sna1 increased transformation of medulloblastoma cells in vitro and in vivo. Analysis of potential Sna1 targets in neural cells revealed a novel Sna1 target, N-Myc, a transcription factor known to play a role in Shh-mediated GCP proliferation and medulloblastoma formation. We found that Sna1 directly induced transcription of N-Myc in human medulloblastoma cells and that depletion of N-Myc ablated the Sna1-induced proliferation and transformation. Taken together, these results provide further insight into the mechanism of Shh-induced transformation of neural progenitor cells and suggest that induction of Sna1 may serve to amplify the oncogenic potential of Shh pathway activation through N-Myc induction.

Abstract 3113: Loss of TLE1 tumor suppressor accelerates myeloid leukemia development in cooperation with N-Myc

Abstract Transducin-like enhancer of split-1 (TLE1) is a novel tumor suppressor gene that is deleted or methylated in subgroups of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and other hematological malignancies. TLE1 belongs to a family of Gro/TLE proteins that function as corepressors that can bind and potentially inhibit numerous transcription factors known to be involved in development and carcinogenesis including myc, beta-catenin, NF-kB, and TGF-B. In Drosophila Groucho is recognized as a master regulatory gene in development. Our studies and those from other groups have shown that over-expression of TLE1 in leukemia cells slows cell cycle progression, colony formation and tumor growth in xenografts, while silencing results in increased cell proliferation. To further evaluate the role of TLE1 in development and oncogenesis we have knocked out TLE1 in mice. These mice are viable and do not spontaneously develop malignancies in the absence of additional cooperating oncogenes. In Drosophila the TLE homologue Groucho binds and represses Drosophila Myc expression of target genes. N-Myc is important for hematopoietic stem cell proliferation, survival and differentiation and is over-expressed in most AML samples. We postulated that TLE 1 might be an important regulator of N-Myc activity in leukemia and the loss of TLE may accelerate the leukemia development in cooperation with N-Myc. We demonstrate here that the loss of Tle1 cooperates with N-Myc to dramatically increase the serial replating and proliferation of hematopoietic progenitor cells from fetal livers. Mice transplanted with N-Myc transduced hematopoietic cells from the fetal liver of Tle1 knockout mice developed leukemia with a much shorter latency as compared with fetal liver cells from wild type mice. We are currently investigating the mechanisms of this cooperation. This is the first demonstration that Tle1 is a potent modulator of Myc induced tumorigenesis and may have implications in a broader spectrum of malignancies. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3113.

Hematopoietic Stem Cell Function and Survival Depend on c-Myc and N-Myc Activity

Myc activity is emerging as a key element in acquisition and maintenance of stem cell properties. We have previously shown that c-Myc deficiency results in accumulation of defective hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) due to niche-dependent differentiation defects. Here we report that immature HSCs coexpress c-myc and N-myc mRNA at similar levels. Although conditional deletion of N-myc in the bone marrow does not affect hematopoiesis, combined deficiency of c-Myc and N-Myc (dKO) results in pancytopenia and rapid lethality. Interestingly, proliferation of HSCs depends on both myc genes during homeostasis, but is c-Myc/N-Myc independent during bone marrow repair after injury. Strikingly, while most dKO hematopoietic cells undergo apoptosis, only self-renewing HSCs accumulate the cytotoxic molecule Granzyme B, normally employed by the innate immune system, thereby revealing an unexpected mechanism of stem cell apoptosis. Collectively, Myc activity (c-Myc and N-Myc) controls crucial aspects of HSC function including proliferation, differentiation, and survival.

Early B cell factor promotes B lymphopoiesis with reduced interleukin 7 responsiveness in the absence of E2A.

The basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors encoded by the E2A gene function at the apex of a transcriptional hierarchy involving E2A, early B cell factor (EBF), and Pax5, which is essential for B lymphopoiesis. In committed B lineage progenitors, E2A proteins have also been shown to regulate many lineage-associated genes. Herein, we demonstrate that the block in B lymphopoiesis imposed by the absence of E2A can be overcome by expression of EBF, but not Pax5, indicating that EBF is the essential target of E2A required for development of B lineage progenitors. Our data demonstrate that EBF, in synergy with low levels of alternative E2A-related proteins (E proteins), is sufficient to promote expression of most B lineage genes. Remarkably, however, we find that E2A proteins are required for interleukin 7–dependent proliferation due, in part, to a role for E2A in optimal expression of N-myc. Therefore, high levels of E protein activity are essential for the activation of EBF and N-myc, whereas lower levels of E protein activity, in synergy with other B lineage transcription factors, are sufficient for expression of most B lineage genes.

Interferon-gamma cooperates with retinoic acid and phorbol ester to induce differentiation and growth inhibition of human neuroblastoma cells.

The prognosis of patients with advanced stages of neuroblastoma with N-myc amplification remains poor despite escalated therapy, a situation that has called for alternative therapeutic approaches. Neuroblastoma cells, which represent immature peripheral neuronal cells, treated with certain physiologic and nonphysiologic agents such as retinoic acid (RA), phorbol esters and interferons (IFN) in vitro undergo cellular differentiation and stop to divide, a process that mimics normal neuronal development. Such "differentiation therapy" using RA after autologous bone marrow transplantation has recently given encouraging results in neuroblastoma patients with advanced disease. Considering approaches for improved differentiation therapy, we investigated possible synergistic effects of combining agents known to influence neuroblastoma growth and differentiation in vitro. Our results show that combined treatment with IFN-gamma and RA or the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol acetate (TPA) had synergistic or enhancing effects on morphologic differentiation and neurite outgrowth in 5 of 5 neuroblastoma cell lines, 3 of which expressed very high levels of N-myc mRNA due to N-myc amplification. The combinations RA+IFN-gamma or TPA+IFN-gamma also enhanced induced growth inhibition in all 5 cell lines, in several cases resulting in complete growth arrest under conditions where cells stimulated with either agent alone continued to grow. The phenotypic effects of the combined RA+IFN-gamma or TPA+IFN-gamma treatments were in most, but not all, investigated cases accompanied by moderate reductions in N-myc expression, suggesting that the cooperative signals may counteract N-Myc activity at several levels. The cooperativity between IFN-gamma and other differentiation signals may be relevant for approaches to improve the therapy for high-risk neuroblastoma with N-myc-amplification.

N-myc-dependent repression of Ndr1, a gene identified by direct subtraction of whole mouse embryo cDNAs between wild type and N-myc mutant

To identify genes regulated by N-myc, subtraction of whole embryo cDNA was carried out between wild type and N-myc-deficient mutant mice. Six cDNA clones were isolated as representing genes expressed higher in the mutant embryos and two as those expressed lower. One of them, Ndr1, coding for 43 kDa cytoplasmic protein was studied in detail. The Ndr1 gene was augmented 20-fold in the mutant embryos at 10.5 days post coitus which is indicative of repression by N-myc. An inverse relationship actually existed between the expression of N-myc and Ndr1 in various developing tissues of the wild type embryos. In the early stage of differentiation of these tissues when N-myc expression was high Ndr1 expression was low or undetectable, and later when N-myc activity diminished Ndr1 expression was augmented concomitantly with the occurrence of terminal differentiation. To establish the direct link between N-myc activity and the Ndr1 regulation, the Ndr1 gene was cloned and analyzed. The Ndr1 promoter activity was down-regulated by N-myc, and more strongly by the combination of N-myc and Max in the cotransfection assay. This repressive effect was mediated by the promoter region within 52 base pairs from the transcription start site but direct binding of N-myc:Max to the promoter sequence was not demonstrated, which is analogous to the cases recently reported for transcriptional repression by c-myc. c-myc also repressed Ndr1 promoter activity similarly to N-myc. The effect of N-myc:Max was sensitive to Trichostatin A, indicating involvement of histone deacetylase activity in repression of the Ndr1 promoter. The strategy we adopted in identifying target genes of a transcription factor should prove widely applicable when mutant animals are available.

Juxtaposition of N-myc and Ig kappa through a reciprocal t(6;12) translocation in a mouse plasmacytoma.

Nearly all mouse plasmacytomas (MPCs) carry an Ig/myc translocation. Any one of the three Ig loci may participate, while the myc contribution has been limited to c-myc, excluding other members of the myc gene family. The same is true for the other two known Ig/myc translocation-carrying tumors, Burkitt's lymphoma and rat immunocytoma. It is believed that the Ig/myc juxtaposition plays a decisive, rate limiting role in the genesis of the three tumors, acting through the constitutive activation of myc that makes it refractory to normal regulation. Here we describe the molecular analysis of a unique t(6;12)(CI;B) translocation that we previously identified in an exceptional MPC that expressed N-myc but not c-myc. We now show that the translocation led to the juxtaposition of N-myc and Ig kappa. This is the first case of an Ig/myc-carrying tumor that involves N-myc rather than c-myc. These findings suggest that the translocation may already have occurred at the pro- or pre-B cell stage at which N-myc is open for transcription. According to this interpretation, constitutive activation of N-myc would suppress the expression of c-myc, but would not interfere with the differentiation of the pro-B cell into a fully mature plasma cell. Its tumorigenic influence would become manifest only at the time when the cell would normally be programmed to leave the cycling compartment, in connection with its terminal differentiation.

An exceptional mouse plasmacytoma with a new kappa/N-myc [T(6; 12) (C1; B)] translocation expresses N-myc but not c-myc.

Mouse plasmacytomas (MPC) carry one of three reciprocal translocations that juxtapose c-myc to one of the three immunoglobulin (Ig) loci. Here we describe an exceptional MPC, induced by pristane oil and Abelson (A-MuLV) virus. It does not carry any of the three c-myc/Ig translocations, but contains a previously unknown reciprocal T(6;12) translocation affecting the bands known to carry the IgK (6C/1) and N-myc (12B) loci, respectively. Northern blot analysis showed high N-myc but no c-myc expression. This is consistent with the constitutive activation of N-myc by a juxtaposition of the IgK and N-myc loci. Reciprocal translocation in B-cell derived tumors are believed to involve the Ig loci by the action of some enzyme that participates in the physiological rearrangement of the Ig loci. Only transcriptionally active chromatin regions are accessible to such recombinases (Alt et al. 1987). N-myc is not expressed in B-cells, but it is transcriptionally active during the early pro- and pre-B cell stage, whereafter it and the surrounding chromatin region becomes inactive (Smith et al. 1992). It is therefore most likely that the N-myc/Kappa translocation has arisen at an early stage of B-cell differentiation. This would imply that the myc/Ig translocations do not block B-cell differentiation. They also reaffirm the functional equivalence of N- and c-myc in relation to B-cell carcinogenesis, as shown by our previous work on tumor induction in N-myc transgenic mice (Wang et al. 1992).

Insertional activation of N-myc by endogenous Moloney-like murine retrovirus sequences in macrophage cell lines derived from myeloma cell line-macrophage hybrids.

Hybrids formed from a myeloma cell line, NS1, and macrophages initially show myeloma properties but later, after loss of the parental macrophage genome and consequent loss of myeloma characteristics, express macrophage properties. Molecular studies demonstrated that macrophage properties in the hybridomas originate from the NS1 parental cells (M. Setoguchi, S. Yoshida, Y. Higuchi, S. Akizuki, and S. Yamamoto, Somatic Cell Mol. Genet. 14:427-438, 1988). In such hybrids, N-myc was activated by insertion of endogenous Moloney-like retrovirus sequences into mouse N-myc exon 3 when the hybrids gained macrophage properties. Interestingly, expression of N-myc took place in all aged hybrids. These results suggest that such unique insertional mutagenesis occurs in a regionally specific manner and that expression of N-myc may play a role in hematopoietic lineage conversion.

N-myc is frequently activated by proviral insertion in MuLV-induced T cell lymphomas.

We report a new common proviral insertion site in murine leukemia virus-induced T cell lymphomas to be N-myc. Proviral activation of N-myc was found in 35% of independently induced primary tumors. The vast majority of the proviral insertions occur within a small segment of the 3'-untranslated region of the N-myc gene, directly downstream of the protein-encoding domain. This results in an increased level of expression of a truncated N-myc mRNA. Together with the previously shown c-myc activation we now find involvement of myc genes in greater than 75% of the primary T cell lymphomas induced by Moloney murine leukemia virus in C57BL10 and BALB/c mice, and show for the first time that N-myc can be over-expressed by a mechanism other than gene amplification.