Amanda R Oran, Clare M Adams, Xiao-Yong Zhang, Victoria J Gennaro, Harla K Pfeiffer, Hestia S Mellert, Hans E Seidel, Kirsten Mascioli, Jordan Kaplan, Mahmoud R Gaballa, Chen Shen, Isidore Rigoutsos, Michael P King, Justin L Cotney, Jamie J Arnold, Suresh D Sharma, Ubaldo E Martinez-Outschoorn, Christopher R Vakoc, Lewis A Chodosh, James E Thompson, James E Bradner, Craig E Cameron, Gerald S Shadel, Christine M Eischen, Steven B McMahon
Despite ubiquitous activation in human cancer, essential downstream effector pathways of the MYC transcription factor have been difficult to define and target. Using a structure/function-based approach, we identified the mitochondrial RNA polymerase (POLRMT) locus as a critical downstream target of MYC. The multifunctional POLRMT enzyme controls mitochondrial gene expression, a process required both for mitochondrial function and mitochondrial biogenesis. We further demonstrate that inhibition of this newly defined MYC effector pathway causes robust and selective tumor cell apoptosis, via an acute, checkpoint-like mechanism linked to aberrant electron transport chain complex assembly and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production...
November 8, 2016: Oncotarget