c-Myc, Genomic Instability and Disease.
The proto-oncogene c-myc has been the subject of intensive research since its discovery. It is already known that this oncogene targets multiple pathways for the initiation and promotion of tumor formation, and that deregulation of this protein is observed in numerous cancers. However, despite the plethora of information gathered, the exact role and mechanism of action of the protein still remains enigmatic. This review focuses on the role of the c-Myc protein in the induction of genomic instability and its link with the development of cancer. We briefly describe c-Myc protein, its binding partners and downstream targets as well as its role in inducing genomic instability and the c-myc-related diseases in humans and mice with regard to genomic instability. This review emphasizes the notions that c-Myc is a multifunctional protein which also affects the stability of the whole genome and triggers the initiation of a complex network of genomic instability and therefore acts beyond the characteristics of classical transcription factors that only regulate a limited number of downstream targets. We propose that c-Myc is a structural modifier of the genome that affects the nuclear organization and an important molecule in tumor cell progression through the induction of genomic instability.
Kuttler
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Manitoba Institute of Cell Biology, CancerCare Manitoba, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
Mai
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D000818:Animals; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D030342:Genetic Diseases, Inborn / Q000235:genetics*; D042822:Genomic Instability; D006801:Humans; D007621:Karyotyping; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D002843:Chromatin; C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc