Skip to main content

C-MYC: Oncogene and Tumour Suppressor Gene

  • Chapter
Apoptosis

Part of the book series: Pezcoller Foundation Symposia ((PFSO,volume 5))

Abstract

Eukaryotic cell proliferation in metazoans is regulated by a variety of positive and negative signals that serve to rigidly control cell division. This underscores a major problem facing multicellular organisms: namely, how to allow the rapid proliferation of component cells and at the same time never allow those component cells to engage in competition with each other. In principle, any cell that acquires a growth advantage through mutation should out-compete its siblings and generate a hyperplastic clone from which ever more rapidly proliferating mutants are likely to arise. Such an event is, however, extremely rare as demonstrated by the fact that cancer arises in only one in three individuals during the entire course of their lives. Part of the answer to this paradox appears to reside in the multifunctional nature of the components that mediate cell proliferation. One of these, c-Myc, is the subject of this paper.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. C.A. Spencer and M. Groudine, Control of c-myc regulation in normal and neoplastic cells. Adv Cancer Res. 56: 1–48 (1991)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. G. Evan and T. Littlewood, The role of c-myc in cell growth. Curr. Opin. Genet. & Dev. 3:44–49(1993)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. J.M. Almendral, D. Sommer, H. MacDonald-Bravo, J. Burckhardt, J. Perera and R. Bravo, Complexity of the early genetic response to growth factors in mouse fibroblasts. Mol Cell Biol. 8: 2140–2148 (1988)

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. K. Kelly, B.H. Cochran, C.D. Stiles and P. Leder, Cell specific regulation of the c-myc gene by lymphocyte mitogens and platelet-derived growth factor. Cell. 35: 603–610 (1983)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. H. Persson, L. Hennighausen, R. Taub, W. DeGrado and P. Leder, Antibodies to human c-myc oncogene product: evidence of an evolutionarily conserved protein induced during cell proliferation. Science. 225: 687–693 (1984)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. G. Ramsay, G.I. Evan and J.M. Bishop, The protein encoded by the human protooncogene c-myc. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA. 81: 7742–7746 (1984)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. S.R. Hann and R.N. Eisenman, Proteins encoded by the human c-myc oncogene: differential expression in neoplastic cells. Mol. Cell. Biol. 4: 2486–2497 (1984)

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. G.I. Evan and D.C. Hancock, Studies on the interaction of the human c-myc protein with cell nuclei: p62c-myc as a member of a discrete subset of nuclear proteins. Cell. 43: 253–261 (1985)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. E.M. Blackwood and R.N. Eisenman, Max. a helix-loop-helix zipper protein that forms a sequence-specific DNA-binding complex with Myc. Science. 251: 1211–7 (1991)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. T.K. Blackwell, L. Kretzner, E.M. Blackwood, R.N. Eisenman and H. Weintraub, Sequence-specific DNA binding by the c-Myc protein. Science. 250: 1149–51 (1990)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. G.C. Prendergast, D. Lawe and E.B. Ziff, Association of Myn, the murine homolog of max, with c-Myc stimulates methylation-sensitive DNA binding and ras cotransformation. Cell. 65: 395–407 (1991)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. G.C. Prendergast and E.B. Ziff, Methylation-sensitive sequence-specific DNA binding by the c-Myc basic region. Science. 251: 186–9 (1991)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. T. Littlewood, B. Amati, H. Land and G. Evan, Max and c-Myc/Max DNA binding activities in cell extracts. Oncogene. 7: 1783–1792 (1992)

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. E.M. Blackwood, B. Luscher and R.N. Eisenman, Myc and Max associate in vivo. Genes Dev. 6: 71–80(1992)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. B. Amati, S. Dalton, M. Brooks, T. Littlewood, G. Evan and H. Land, Transcriptional activation by c-Myc oncoprotein in yeast requires interaction with Max. Nature. 359: 423–426(1992)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. L. Kretzner, E. Blackwood and R. Eisenman, Myc and Max possess distinct transcriptional activities. Nature. 359: 426–429 (1992)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. B. Amati, M. Brooks, N. Levy, T. Littlewood, G. Evan and H. Land, Oncogenic activity of the c-Myc protein requires dimerisation with Max. Cell. 72: 233–245 (1993)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. G.J. Kato, J. Barrett, G.M. Villa and C.V. Dang, An amino-terminal c-myc domain required for neoplastic transformation activates transcription. Mol Cell Biol. 10: 5914–20 (1990)

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. G.J. Kato, W.M. Lee, L.L. Chen and C.V. Dang, Max. functional domains and interaction with c-Myc. Genes Dev. 6: 81–92 (1992)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. J.P. Moore, D.C. Hancock, T.D. Littlewood and G.I. Evan, A sensitive and quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbence assay for the c-myc and N-myc oncoproteins. Oncogene Res. 2: 65–80(1987)

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. C.B. Thompson, P.B. Challoner, P.E. Neiman and M. Groudine, Levels of c-myc oncogene mRNA are invariant throughout the cell cycle. Nature. 314: 363–366 (1985)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. C. Waters, T. Littlewood, D. Hancock, J. Moore and G. Evan, c-myc protein expression in untransformed fibroblasts. Oncogene. 6: 101–109 (1991)

    Google Scholar 

  23. S.R. Hann, C.B. Thompson and R.N. Eisenman, C-myc oncogene protein synthesis is independent of the cell cycle in human and avian cells. Nature. 314: 366–369 (1985)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. M. Dean, R.A. Levine, W. Ran, M.S. Kindy, G.E. Sonenshein and J. Campisi, Regulation of c-myc transcription and mRNA abundance by serum growth factors and cell contact. J. Biol. Chem. 261: 9161–6 (1986)

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. A.B. Pardee, Gl events and regulation of cell proliferation. Science. 246: 603–608 (1989)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. G. Evan, A. Wyllie, C. Gilbert, T. Littlewood, H. Land, M. Brooks, C. Waters, L. Penn and D. Hancock, Induction of apoptosis in fibroblasts by c-myc protein. Cell. 63: 119–125(1992)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. M. Eilers, D. Picard, K.R. Yamamoto and M.J. Bishop, Chimaeras of Myc oncoprotein and steroid receptors cause hormone-dependent transformation of cells. Nature. 340: 66–68(1989)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. M. Eilers, S. Schirm and J M. Bishop, The MYC protein activates transcription of the alpha-prothymosin gene. EMBO J. 10: 133–41 (1991)

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. J. Stone, T. de Lange, G. Ramsay, E. Jakobvits, J.M. Bishop, H. Varmus and W. Lee, Definition of regions in human c-myc that are involved in transformation and nuclear localization. Mol. Cell Biol. 7: 1697–1709 (1987)

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. B. Amati, T. Littlewood, G. Evan and H. Land, The c-Myc protein induces cell cycle progression and apoptosis through dimerisation with Max. Submitted. (1993)

    Google Scholar 

  31. V. Quarmby, W. Beekman, E. Wilson and F. French, Androgen regulation of c-myc messenger ribonucleic acid levels in rat ventral prostate. Mol Endocrinol. 1: 865–874 (1987)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. R. Buttyan, Z. Zakeri, R. Lockshin and D. Wolgemuth, Cascade induction of c-fos, c-myc, and heat shock 70K transcripts during regression of the rat ventral prostate gland. Mol Endocrinol. 2: 650–7 (1988)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. N. Kyprianou, H.F. English, N.E. Davidson and J.T. Isaacs, Programmed cell death during regression of the MCF-7 human breast cancer following estrogen ablation. Cancer Res. 51: 162–6(1991)

    Google Scholar 

  34. J.S. Riegel, E.R. Richie and J.P. Allison, Nuclear events after activation of CD4+8+ thymocytes. J Immunol. 144: 3611–8 (1990)

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Y. Shi, J. Glynn, L. Guilbert, T. Cotter, R. Bissonette and D. Green, Role for c-myc in activation-induced apoptotic cell death in T cell hybridomas. Science. 257: 212–214 (1992)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. J. Cohen, Overview: Mechanisms of apoptosis. Immunol Today. 14: 126–130 (1993)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. N. Touchette, Dying cells reveal new role for cancer genes. J. NIH Research. 4: 48–52 (1992)

    Google Scholar 

  38. R. Baserga, The double life of the IGF-1 receptor. Receptor. 2: 261–6 (1992)

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. A. Fanidi, E. Harrington and G. Evan, Cooperative interaction between c-myc and bcl-2 proto-oncogenes. Nature. 359: 554–556 (1992)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. A. Strasser, A.W. Harris, ML. Bath and S. Cory, Novel primitive lymphoid tumours induced in transgenic mice by cooperation between myc and bcl-2. Nature. 348: 331–3 (1990)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. G. Klein, Comparative action of myc and bcl-2 in B-cell malignancy. Cancer Cells. 3: 141–3(1991)

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. T.J. McDonnell, N. Deane, FM. Platt, G. Nunez, U. Jaeger, J P. McKearn and S.J. Korsmeyer, bcl -2 -immunoglobulin transgenic mice demonstrate extended B cell survival and follicular lymphoproliferation. Cell. 57: 79–88 (1989)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. G. Nunez, L. London, D. Hockenbery, M. Alexander, J.P. McKearn and S.J. Korsmeyer, Deregulated bcl-2 gene expression selectively prolongs survival of growth factor-deprived hemopoietic cell lines. J Immunol. 144: 3602–10 (1990)

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. D.L. Vaux, S. Cory and J.M. Adams, bcl-2 gene promotes haemopoietic cell survival and cooperates with c-myc to immortalize pre-B cells. Nature. 335: 440–2 (1988)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. D. Hockenbery, G. Nunez, C. Milliman, R.D. Schreiber and S.J. Korsmeyer, Bcl-2 is an inner mitochondrial membrane protein that blocks programmed cell death. Nature. 348: 334–336(1990)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. C.L. Sentman, J.R. Shutter, D. Hockenbery, O. Kanagawa and S.J. Korsmeyer, bcl-2 inhibits multiple forms of apoptosis but not negative selection in thymocytes. Cell. 67: 879–88(1991)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. A. Strasser, A.W. Harris and S. Cory, bcl-2 transgene inhibits T cell death and perturbs thymic self-censorship. Cell. 67: 889–99 (1991)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. R. Bissonnette, F. Echeverri, A. Mahboubi and D. Green. Apoptotic cell death induced by c-myc is inhibited by bcl-2. Nature. 359: 552–554 (1992)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. A.J. Wagner, M.B. Small and N. Hay, Myc-mediated apoptosis is blocked by ectopic expression of bcl-2. Mol Cell Biol 13: 2432–2440 (1993)

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. T. Miyashita and J.C. Reed, bcl-2 gene transfer increases relative resistance of S49.1 and WEHI7.2 lymphoid cells to cell death and DNA fragmentation induced by glucocorticoids and multiple chemotherapeutic drugs. Cancer Res. 52: 5407–11 (1992)

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. J.C. Reed, S. Haldar, C.M. Croce and M.P. Cuddy, Complementation by BCL2 and C-HA-RAS oncogenes in malignant transformation of rat embryo fibroblasts. Mol Cell Biol. 10:4370–4(1990)

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. M. van Lohuizen, S. Verbeek, B. Scheijen, E. Wientjens, H. van der Gulden and A. Berns, Identification of cooperating oncogenes in E mu-myc transgenic mice by provirus tagging. Cell. 65: 737–52 (1991)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. M. van Lohuizen, M. Frasch, E. Wientjens and A. Berns, Sequence similarity between the mammalian bmi-1 proto-oncogene and the Drosophila regulatory genes Psc and Su(z)2. Nature. 353: 353–5 (1991)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Y. Haupt, W.S. Alexander, G. Barri, S.P. Klinken and J.M. Adams, Novel zinc finger gene implicated as myc collaborator by retrovirally accelerated lymphomagenesis in E mu-myc transgenic mice. Cell. 65: 753–63 (1991)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. S. Verbeek, M. van Lohuizen, M. van der Valk, J. Domen, G Kraal and A. Berns, Mice bearing the E mu-myc and E mu-pim- 1 transgenes develop pre-B-cell leukemia prenatally. Mol Cell Biol. 11:1176–9 (1991)

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  56. J.M. Adams and S. Cory, Transgenic models for haemopoietic malignancies. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1072: 9–31 (1991)

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  57. M.C. Raff, Social controls on cell survival and cell death. Nature. 356: 397–400 (1992)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1994 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Evan, G., Littlewood, T., Hancock, D., Bennett, M., Harrington, E., Fanidi, A. (1994). C-MYC: Oncogene and Tumour Suppressor Gene. In: Mihich, E., Schimke, R.T. (eds) Apoptosis. Pezcoller Foundation Symposia, vol 5. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9217-1_5

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9217-1_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-9219-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-9217-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics