New therapeutic approach for targeting c-Myc

c-Myc is a potent oncoprotein which is deregulated in a vast array of human tumours. In healthy cells, c-Myc is an important protein which recruits enzymes to chromatin to activate gene expression. When c-Myc is deregulated, gene expression is hyperactivated and cell proliferation is unrestrained contributing to tumour initiation and growth. Targeting c-Myc therapeutically is an ongoing challenge. Recently Olivia Lombardi and colleagues at the Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression at the University of Dundee reported that c-Myc utilises the mRNA cap guanylyltransferase, RNGTT, to drive transcription. They demonstrated that inhibiting RNGTT supresses c-Myc induced gene expression and cell proliferation, but only when c-Myc is deregulated. “Olivia’s work provides much needed insight into how c-Myc functions. Most importantly she demonstrated that targeting the cap guanylyltransferase selectively inhibits cells with deregulated c-Myc, but leaves cells with normal c-Myc untouched. This gives the potential for the cap guanylyltransferase to be targeted therapeutically”, said Victoria Cowling, GRE group leader.