PUBLICATION

Drugging MYCN Oncogenic Signaling through the MYCN-PA2G4 Binding Interface

Authors
Koach, J., Holien, J.K., Massudi, H., Carter, D.R., Ciampa, O.C., Herath, M., Lim, T., Seneviratne, J.A., Milazzo, G., Murray, J.E., McCarroll, J.A., Liu, B., Mayoh, C., Keenan, B., Stevenson, B.W., Gorman, M.A., Bell, J.L., Doughty, L., Hüttelmaier, S., Oberthuer, A., Fischer, M., Gifford, A.J., Liu, T., Zhang, X., Zhu, S., Gustafson, W.C., Haber, M., Norris, M.D., Fletcher, J.I., Perini, G., Parker, M.W., Cheung, B.B., Marshall, G.M.
ID
ZDB-PUB-200529-14
Date
2019
Source
Cancer research   79: 5652-5667 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Zhu, Shizhen
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing/genetics*
  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Carcinogenesis/genetics
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Chromatin Immunoprecipitation/methods
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/genetics
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • N-Myc Proto-Oncogene Protein/genetics*
  • Neuroblastoma/genetics
  • Oncogene Proteins/genetics*
  • RNA-Binding Proteins/genetics*
  • Signal Transduction/genetics*
  • Zebrafish
PubMed
31501192 Full text @ Cancer Res.
Abstract
MYCN is a major driver for the childhood cancer, neuroblastoma, however, there are no inhibitors of this target. Enhanced MYCN protein stability is a key component of MYCN oncogenesis and is maintained by multiple feedforward expression loops involving MYCN transactivation target genes. Here, we reveal the oncogenic role of a novel MYCN target and binding protein, proliferation-associated 2AG4 (PA2G4). Chromatin immunoprecipitation studies demonstrated that MYCN occupies the PA2G4 gene promoter, stimulating transcription. Direct binding of PA2G4 to MYCN protein blocked proteolysis of MYCN and enhanced colony formation in a MYCN-dependent manner. Using molecular modeling, surface plasmon resonance, and mutagenesis studies, we mapped the MYCN-PA2G4 interaction site to a 14 amino acid MYCN sequence and a surface crevice of PA2G4. Competitive chemical inhibition of the MYCN-PA2G4 protein-protein interface had potent inhibitory effects on neuroblastoma tumorigenesis in vivo. Treated tumors showed reduced levels of both MYCN and PA2G4. Our findings demonstrate a critical role for PA2G4 as a cofactor in MYCN-driven neuroblastoma and highlight competitive inhibition of the PA2G4-MYCN protein binding as a novel therapeutic strategy in the disease. SIGNIFICANCE: Competitive chemical inhibition of the PA2G4-MYCN protein interface provides a basis for drug design of small molecules targeting MYC and MYCN-binding partners in malignancies driven by MYC family oncoproteins.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Show all Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping