The Prognostic Impact of MYC Gene-Related Abnormalities on Multiple Myeloma Outcome through Fluorescence in situ Hybridization Analysis

Introduction: Chromosomal abnormalities (CAs) have been identified as important factors in determining the biological features and prognostic value of multiple myeloma (MM). MYC gene-related abnormalities (MYC GAs) are one of the CAs, but its unfavorable impact has not been fully investigated in daily clinical practice. Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed the prognostic impact of MYC GAs on 81 patients through fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis in our institute. Results: MYC GAs were associated with poor overall survival (hazard ratio [HR], 3.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.23–7.73; p = 0.017), progression-free survival (PFS) (HR, 2.96; 95% CI, 1.58–5.53; p < 0.001), and time to next treatment (TNT) (HR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.13–3.93; p = 0.018) in the median follow-up of 34.7 months. Furthermore, MYC GAs with an additional chromosome 8 (MYC-Ch8(+)) were associated with shorter PFS (HR, 3.15; 95% CI, 1.38–7.2; p = 0.0064), whereas MYC GAs without an additional chromosome 8 (MYC-Ch8(−)) were associated with shorter PFS (HR, 3.62; 95% CI, 1.51–8.68; p = 0.004) and shorter TNT (HR, 3.72; 95% CI, 1.41–9.81; p = 0.0078). Conclusion: These findings could help identify high-risk patients with MM. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm the significance of MYC GAs for the MM prognostic effect.

Tracing the Origins of Glioblastoma by Investigating the Role of Gliogenic and Related Neurogenic Genes/Signaling Pathways in GBM Development: A Systematic Review

Background: Glioblastoma is one of the most aggressive tumors. The etiology and the factors determining its onset are not yet entirely known. This study investigates the origins of GBM and for this purpose it focuses primarily on developmental gliogenic processes. It also focuses on impact of the related neurogenic developmental processes in glioblastoma oncogenesis. It also addresses why glial cells are at more risk of tumor development compared to neurons.Methods:Databases including PubMed, MEDLINE and Google Scholar were searched for published articles without any date restrictions, involving glioblastoma, gliogenesis, neurogenesis, stemness, neural stem cells, gliogenic signaling and pathways, neurogenic signaling and pathways, astrocytogenic genes.Results:The origin of GBM is dependent on dysregulation in multiple genes and pathways that accumulatively converge the cells towards oncogenesis. There are multiple layers of steps in glioblastoma oncogenesis including the failure of cell fate specific genes to keep the cells differentiated in their specific cell type such as p300, BMP, HOPX, NRSF/REST and others. There are genes and signaling pathways that are involved in differentiation and also contribute to GBM such as FGFR3, JAK-STAT, hey1 and others. The genes that contribute to differentiation processes but also contribute to stemness in GBM include notch, Sox9, Sox4, c-myc gene overrides p300 and then GFAP, leading to upregulation of nestin, SHH, NF-κB and others. GBM mutations pathologically impact the cell circuitry such as the interaction between Sox2 and JAK-STAT pathway, resulting in GBM development and progression. Conclusion: Glioblastoma originates when the gene expression of key gliogenic genes and signaling pathways become dysregulated. This study identifies key gliogenic genes having the ability to control oncogenesis in glioblastoma cells, including p300, BMP, PAX6, HOPX, NRSF/REST, LIF, TGF beta. It also identifies key neurogenic genes having the ability to control oncogenesis including PAX6, neurogenins including Ngn1, NeuroD1, NeuroD4, Numb, NKX6-1 Ebf, Myt1, ASCL1 and others. This study also postulates how aging contributes to the onset of glioblastoma by dysregulating the gene expression of NF-κB, REST/NRSF, ERK, AKT, EGFR and others.

Mapping Scientific and Technological Production Related to the MYC Gene

In appropriate activation of c-MYC proto-oncogene contributes to the development of human cancers. Searches for therapies that target genes and proteins related to neoplastic phenotypes have become frequent. Therefore, inhibiting c-MYC expression has been the target for developing and testing multiple drugs and strategies for the treatment of various human cancers. This study aimed to map scientific and technological productions on the MYC gene at the Scielo, PubMed and Orbit Intelligence platforms between 2000 and 2019. The scientific prospecting revealed 1,259 articles. The most detected categories were: molecular biology, MYC mutations and those addressing the MYC as a drug target or therapeutic strategies. A progressive increase in the number of articles in this last category was found. Technological mapping detected 10,059 patent documents, with 20.2% granted. China and the USA were the largest filers, accounting for more than 40%. Biotechnology was the field with the highest number of patents. Biotechnology and the pharmaceutical sector predominated in the second half of the period investigated, both in scientific and technological prospecting. Our study points to a scientific and technological effort in the development of therapeutic strategies against cancer, in which MYC is among the main targets.

Alkaloid Escholidine and Its Interaction with DNA Structures

Berberine, the most known quaternary protoberberine alkaloid (QPA), has been reported to inhibit the SIK3 protein connected with breast cancer. Berberine also appears to reduce the bcl-2 and XIAP expression-proteins responsible for the inhibition of apoptosis. As some problems in the therapy with berberine arose, we studied the DNA binding properties of escholidine, another QPA alkaloid. CD, fluorescence, and NMR examined models of i-motif and G-quadruplex sequences present in the n-myc gene and the c-kit gene. We provide evidence that escholidine does not induce stabilization of the i-motif sequences, while the interaction with G-quadruplex structures appears to be more significant.