1. Academic Validation
  2. Targeting c-Myc: JQ1 as a promising option for c-Myc-amplified esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Targeting c-Myc: JQ1 as a promising option for c-Myc-amplified esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

  • Cancer Lett. 2018 Apr 10;419:64-74. doi: 10.1016/j.canlet.2018.01.051.
Jingyuan Wang 1 Zhentao Liu 1 Ziqi Wang 1 Shubin Wang 2 Zuhua Chen 1 Zhongwu Li 3 Mengqi Zhang 1 Jianling Zou 1 Bin Dong 3 Jing Gao 4 Lin Shen 5
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, 52 Fucheng Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100142, China.
  • 2 Department of Oncology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, 1120 Lianhua Road, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518036, China.
  • 3 Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Pathology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, 52 Fucheng Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100142, China.
  • 4 Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, 52 Fucheng Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100142, China; Department of Oncology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, 1120 Lianhua Road, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518036, China. Electronic address: gaojing_pumc@163.com.
  • 5 Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, 52 Fucheng Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100142, China; Department of Oncology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, 1120 Lianhua Road, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518036, China. Electronic address: linshenpku@163.com.
Abstract

c-Myc amplification-induced cell cycle dysregulation is a common cause for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), but no approved targeted drug is available so far. The bromodomain inhibitor JQ1, which targets c-Myc, exerts anti-tumor activity in multiple cancers. However, the role of JQ1 in ESCC remains unknown. In this study, we reported that JQ1 had potent anti-proliferative effects on ESCC cells in both time- and dose-dependent manners by inducing cell cycle arrest at G1 phase, cell Apoptosis, and the mesenchymal-epithelial transition. Follow-up studies revealed that both c-Myc/cyclin/Rb and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways were inactivated by JQ1, as indicated by the downregulation of c-Myc, cyclin A/E, and phosphorylated Rb, Akt and S6. Tumor suppression induced by JQ1 in c-Myc amplified or highly expressed xenografts was higher than that in xenografts with low expression, suggesting its potential role in prediction. In conclusion, targeting c-Myc by JQ1 could cause significant tumor suppression in ESCC both in vitro and in vivo. Also, c-Myc amplification or high expression might serve as a potential biomarker and provide a promising therapeutic option for ESCC.

Keywords

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; JQ1; Patient derived xenograft; Targeting c-Myc; c-Myc amplification.

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