c-Myc functionally cooperates with Bax to induce apoptosis

c-Myc promotes apoptosis by destabilizing mitochondrial integrity, leading to the release of proapoptotic effectors including holocytochrome c. Candidate mediators of c-Myc in this process are the proapoptotic members of the Bcl-2 family. We show here that fibroblasts lacking Bak remain susceptible to c-Myc-induced apoptosis whereas bax-deficient fibroblasts are resistant. However, despite this requirement for Bax, c-Myc activation exerts no detectable effects on Bax expression, localization, or conformation. Moreover, susceptibility to c-Myc-induced apoptosis can be restored in bax-deficient cells by ectopic expression of Bax or by microinjection of a peptide comprising a minimal BH3 domain. Microinjection of BH3 peptide also restores sensitivity to c-Myc-induced apoptosis in p53-deficient primary fibroblasts that are otherwise resistant. By contrast, there is no synergy between BH3 peptide and c-Myc in fibroblasts deficient in both Bax and Bak. We conclude that c-Myc triggers a proapoptotic mitochondrial destabilizing activity that cooperates with proapoptotic members of the Bcl-2 family.     

DAP kinase activates a p19ARF/p53-mediated apoptotic checkpoint to suppress oncogenic transformation

DAP kinase is a pro-apoptotic calcium-regulated serine/threonine kinase, whose expression is frequently lost in human tumours. Here we show that DAP kinase counteracts oncogene-induced transformation by activating a p19ARF/p53-dependent apoptotic checkpoint. Ectopic expression of DAP kinase suppressed oncogenic transformation of primary embryonic fibroblasts by activating p53 in a p19ARF-dependent manner. Consequently, the fibroblasts underwent apoptosis, characterized by caspase activation and DNA fragmentation. In response to c-Myc or E2F-1, the endogenous DAP kinase protein was upregulated. Furthermore, functional or genetic inactivation of the endogenous DAP kinase reduced the extent of induction of p19ARF/p53 and weakened the subsequent apoptotic responses to c-Myc or E2F-1. These results establish a role for DAP kinase in an early apoptotic checkpoint designed to eliminate pre-malignant cells during cancer development.     

p53 mediates apoptosis induced by c-Myc activation in hypoxic or gamma irradiated fibroblasts

Deregulated c-Myc expression leads to a cellular state where proliferation and apoptosis are equally favored depending on the cellular microenvironment. Since the apoptotic sensitivity of many cells is influenced by the status of the p53 tumor suppressor gene, we investigated whether the induction of apoptosis by DNA damage or non-genotoxic stress are also influenced by the p53 status of cells with altered c-Myc activity. Rat-1 fibroblasts expressing a conditional c-Myc allele (c-MycER), were transfected to express an antisense RNA complimentary to p53 mRNA. Expression of antisense p53 RNA decreased p53 protein levels and delayed p53 accumulation following c-Myc activation. Under hypoxic or low serum conditions, cells expressing antisense p53 were substantially more resistant to c-Myc-induced apoptosis than were control cells. c-Myc activation also sensitized Rat-1 cells to radiation-induced apoptosis. Rat-1 cells expressing antisense p53 RNA were more resistant to apoptosis induced by the combined effects of c-Myc activation and gamma irradiation. In a similar manner, apoptosis induced by c-Myc in serum starved, hypoxic or gamma irradiated fibroblasts was also inhibited by Bcl-2. These data indicate that p53 is involved in c-Myc-mediated apoptosis under a variety of stresses which may influence tumor growth, evolution and response to therapy.     

Overexpression of c-Myc alters G(1)/S arrest following ionizing radiation

Study of the mechanism(s) of genomic instability induced by the c-myc proto-oncogene has the potential to shed new light on its well-known oncogenic activity. However, an underlying mechanism(s) for this phenotype is largely unknown. In the present study, we investigated the effects of c-Myc overexpression on the DNA damage-induced G(1)/S checkpoint, in order to obtain mechanistic insights into how deregulated c-Myc destabilizes the cellular genome. The DNA damage-induced checkpoints are among the primary safeguard mechanisms for genomic stability, and alterations of cell cycle checkpoints are known to be crucial for certain types of genomic instability, such as gene amplification. The effects of c-Myc overexpression were studied in human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC) as one approach to understanding the c-Myc-induced genomic instability in the context of mammary tumorigenesis. Initially, flow-cytometric analyses were used with two c-Myc-overexpressing, nontransformed immortal lines (184A1N4 and MCF10A) to determine whether c-Myc overexpression leads to alteration of cell cycle arrest following ionizing radiation (IR). Inappropriate entry into S phase was then confirmed with a bromodeoxyuridine incorporation assay measuring de novo DNA synthesis following IR. Direct involvement of c-Myc overexpression in alteration of the G(1)/S checkpoint was then confirmed by utilizing the MycER construct, a regulatable c-Myc. A transient excess of c-Myc activity, provided by the activated MycER, was similarly able to induce the inappropriate de novo DNA synthesis following IR. Significantly, the transient expression of full-length c-Myc in normal mortal HMECs also facilitated entry into S phase and the inappropriate de novo DNA synthesis following IR. Furthermore, irradiated, c-Myc-infected, normal HMECs developed a sub-G(1) population and a >4N population of cells. The c-Myc-induced alteration of the G(1)/S checkpoint was also compared to the effects of expression of MycS (N-terminally truncated c-Myc) and p53DD (a dominant negative p53) in the HMECs. We observed inappropriate hyperphosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein and then the reappearance of cyclin A, following IR, selectively in full-length c-Myc- and p53DD-overexpressing MCF10A cells. Based on these results, we propose that c-Myc attenuates a safeguard mechanism for genomic stability; this property may contribute to c-Myc-induced genomic instability and to the potent oncogenic activity of c-Myc.     

Multiple domains of the mouse p19ARF tumor suppressor are involved in p53-independent apoptosis

The ARF (p19ARF for the mouse ARF consisting of 169 amino acids and p14ARF for the human ARF consisting of 132 amino acids) genes upregulate p53 activities to induce cell cycle arrest and sensitize cells to apoptosis by inhibiting Mdm2 activity. p53-independent apoptosis also is induced by ectopic expression of p19ARF. We constructed various deletion mutants of p19ARF with a cre/loxP-regulated adenoviral vector to determine the regions of p19ARF which are responsible for p53-independent apoptosis. Ectopic expression of the C-terminal region (named C40) of p19ARF whose primary sequence is unique to the rodent ARF induced prominent apoptosis in p53-deficient mouse embryo fibroblasts. Relatively low-grade but significant apoptosis also was induced in p53-deficient mouse embryo fibroblasts by ectopic expression of p19ARF1-129, a p19ARF deletion mutant deficient in the C40 region. In contrast, ectopic expression of the wild-type p14ARF did not induce significant apoptosis in human cells. Taken together, we concluded that p53-independent apoptosis was mediated through multiple regions of the mouse ARF including C40, and the ability of the ARF gene to mediate p53-independent apoptosis has been not well conserved during mammalian evolution.     

Wnt signaling promotes oncogenic transformation by inhibiting c-Myc-induced apoptosis

Aberrant activation of the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway is associated with numerous human cancers and often correlates with the overexpression or amplification of the c-myc oncogene. Paradoxical to the cellular transformation potential of c-Myc is its ability to also induce apoptosis. Using an inducible c-MycER expression system, we found that Wnt/beta-catenin signaling suppressed apoptosis by inhibiting c-Myc-induced release of cytochrome c and caspase activation. Both cyclooxygenase 2 and WISP-1 were identified as effectors of the Wnt-mediated antiapoptotic signal. Soft agar assays showed that neither c-Myc nor Wnt-1 alone was sufficient to induce cellular transformation, but that Wnt and c-Myc coordinated in inducing transformation. Furthermore, coexpression of Wnt-1 and c-Myc induced high-frequency and rapid tumor growth in nude mice. Extensive apoptotic bodies were characteristic of c-Myc-induced tumors, but not tumors induced by coactivation of c-Myc and Wnt-1, indicating that the antiapoptotic function of Wnt-1 plays a critical role in the synergetic action between c-Myc and Wnt-1. These results elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which Wnt/beta-catenin inhibits apoptosis and provide new insight into Wnt signaling-mediated oncogenesis.     

Suppression of Myc-induced apoptosis in beta cells exposes multiple oncogenic properties of Myc and triggers carcinogenic progression

To explore the role of c-Myc in carcinogenesis, we have developed a reversible transgenic model of pancreatic beta cell oncogenesis using a switchable form of the c-Myc protein. Activation of c-Myc in adult, mature beta cells induces uniform beta cell proliferation but is accompanied by overwhelming apoptosis that rapidly erodes beta cell mass. Thus, the oncogenic potential of c-Myc in beta cells is masked by apoptosis. Upon suppression of c-Myc-induced beta cell apoptosis by coexpression of Bcl-x(L), c-Myc triggers rapid and uniform progression into angiogenic, invasive tumors. Subsequent c-Myc deactivation induces rapid regression associated with vascular degeneration and beta cell apoptosis. Our data indicate that highly complex neoplastic lesions can be both induced and maintained in vivo by a simple combination of two interlocking molecular lesions.     

The ARF/p53 pathway

The ARF tumor suppressor connects pathways regulated by the retinoblastoma protein and p53. ARF inactivation reduces p53-dependent apoptosis induced by oncogenic signals. Nucleolar relocalization of Mdm2 by ARF connotes a novel mechanism for preventing p53 turnover and provides a framework for understanding how stress signals cooperate to regulate p53 function.     

c-Myc sensitizes cells to tumor necrosis factor-mediated apoptosis by inhibiting nuclear factor kappa B transactivation

Nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) plays a key role in suppression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-mediated apoptosis by inducing a variety of anti-apoptotic genes. Expression of c-Myc has been shown to sensitize cells to TNF-mediated apoptosis by inhibiting NF-kappaB activation. However, the precise step in the NF-kappaB signaling pathway and apoptosis modified by c-Myc has not been identified. Using the inducible c-MycER system and c-Myc null fibroblasts, we found that expression of c-Myc inhibited NF-kappaB activation by interfering with RelA/p65 transactivation but not nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB. Activation of c-Myc promoted TNF-induced release of cytochrome c from mitochondria to the cytosol because of the inhibition of NF-kappaB. Furthermore, we found that NF-kappaB-inducible gene A1 was attenuated by expression of c-Myc and that the restoration of A1 expression suppressed c-Myc-induced TNF sensitization. Our results elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which c-Myc increases cell susceptibility to TNF-mediated apoptosis, indicating that c-Myc may exhibit its pro-apoptotic activities by repression of cell survival genes.     

Role of Pirh2 in mediating the regulation of p53 and c-Myc

Ubiquitylation is fundamental for the regulation of the stability and function of p53 and c-Myc. The E3 ligase Pirh2 has been reported to polyubiquitylate p53 and to mediate its proteasomal degradation. Here, using Pirh2 deficient mice, we report that Pirh2 is important for the in vivo regulation of p53 stability in response to DNA damage. We also demonstrate that c-Myc is a novel interacting protein for Pirh2 and that Pirh2 mediates its polyubiquitylation and proteolysis. Pirh2 mutant mice display elevated levels of c-Myc and are predisposed for plasma cell hyperplasia and tumorigenesis. Consistent with the role p53 plays in suppressing c-Myc-induced oncogenesis, its deficiency exacerbates tumorigenesis of Pirh2(-/-) mice. We also report that low expression of human PIRH2 in lung, ovarian, and breast cancers correlates with decreased patients' survival. Collectively, our data reveal the in vivo roles of Pirh2 in the regulation of p53 and c-Myc stability and support its role as a tumor suppressor.