title: MicroRNA-based screens for synthetic lethal interactions with c-Myc.
abstract: microRNAs (miRs) are small, non-coding RNAs, which play crucial roles in the development and progression of human cancer. Given that miRs are stable, easy to synthetize and readily introduced into cells, they have been viewed as having potential therapeutic benefit in cancer. c-Myc (Myc) is one of the most commonly deregulated oncogenic transcription factors and has important roles in the pathogenesis of cancer, thus making it an important, albeit elusive therapeutic target. Here we review the miRs that have been identified as being both positive and negative targets for Myc and how these participate in the complex phenotypes that arise as a result of Myc-driven transformation. We also discussseveral recent reports of Myc-synthetic lethal interactions with miRs.These highlight the importance and complexity of miRs in Myc-mediated biological functions and the opportunities for Myc-driven human cancer therapies.
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China; Medical Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.
authors.forename: Youjun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
authors.forename: Yahui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC and The Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15224, USA.
authors.forename: Edward V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Prochownik
keywords: c-Myc; cancer; microRNAs; synthetic lethality