MYB/AKT3 axis is a key driver of ovarian cancer growth, aggressiveness, and chemoresistance

Abstract Background Ovarian cancer (OC) remains the most lethal gynecologic malignancy in the United States due to its late diagnosis, aggressive nature, and poor responsiveness to existing therapies. Dissecting the molecular mechanisms and identifying molecular drivers of aggressiveness and therapy...

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Main Authors: Kunwar Somesh Vikramdeo, Orlandric Miree, Shashi Anand, Amod Sharma, Sanjeev Kumar Srivastava, Seema Singh, Rodney P Rocconi, Ajay Pratap Singh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-08-01
Series:Journal of Ovarian Research
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13048-025-01761-9
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author Kunwar Somesh Vikramdeo
Orlandric Miree
Shashi Anand
Amod Sharma
Sanjeev Kumar Srivastava
Seema Singh
Rodney P Rocconi
Ajay Pratap Singh
author_facet Kunwar Somesh Vikramdeo
Orlandric Miree
Shashi Anand
Amod Sharma
Sanjeev Kumar Srivastava
Seema Singh
Rodney P Rocconi
Ajay Pratap Singh
author_sort Kunwar Somesh Vikramdeo
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Ovarian cancer (OC) remains the most lethal gynecologic malignancy in the United States due to its late diagnosis, aggressive nature, and poor responsiveness to existing therapies. Dissecting the molecular mechanisms and identifying molecular drivers of aggressiveness and therapy resistance is critical for devising new therapies and improving patient outcomes. Methods MYB expression was evaluated in a panel of OC cell lines by immunoblotting. Gain and loss of function studies were performed by developing stable control and forced-MYB-expressing and -silenced cell lines, respectively. Functional assays included growth kinetics, clonogenicity, cell cycle, live-dead cell measurements, and annexin-V staining, followed by flow cytometry, migration and invasion assays, and MTT assays following drug treatment. Gene expression profiling was done using the nanoString PanCancer Progression panel. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) was performed to confirm MYB binding to the responsive gene promoter, followed by siRNA-mediated silencing to establish the intermediary role in potentiating the downstream effects. Results Low to high MYB expression was reported in all OC cell lines, with negligible expression reported in normal ovarian surface epithelial cells. MYB expression was significantly higher in aggressive (SKOV3-ip) and chemoresistant (A2780-CP) OC cell lines compared to the parental (SKOV3 and A2780) cells. Functional assays in MYB-overexpressing and -silenced OC cell lines demonstrated a role of MYB overexpression in increased cell proliferation, survival, migration, invasion, EMT, and chemoresistance. nanoString analysis and comparison of transcriptomic data of MYB-silenced SKOV3-ip and MYB-overexpressing SKOV3 cells with their respective control cells identified MYB-dependent genes. Interestingly, these target genes showed a limited overlap between cell lines, suggesting a cell-specific MYB-regulated gene regulation. AKT3 was consistently identified as a common MYB-regulated gene in multiple OC cell lines and confirmed as a direct transcriptional MYB target through confirmation of MYB binding to its promoter. Pathway analysis using the MYB-regulated transcriptomic data also identified PI3K/Akt signaling to be activated in MYB-overexpressing cells. siRNA-mediated silencing of AKT3 confirmed its role in potentiating the oncogenic actions of MYB in OC cells. Conclusion MYB/AKT3 axis drives ovarian cancer growth, aggressiveness, and chemoresistance, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target in ovarian cancer.
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spelling doaj-art-15966edd89154c2c8d1eff53e13505812025-08-20T03:05:55ZengBMCJournal of Ovarian Research1757-22152025-08-0118111510.1186/s13048-025-01761-9MYB/AKT3 axis is a key driver of ovarian cancer growth, aggressiveness, and chemoresistanceKunwar Somesh Vikramdeo0Orlandric Miree1Shashi Anand2Amod Sharma3Sanjeev Kumar Srivastava4Seema Singh5Rodney P Rocconi6Ajay Pratap Singh7Cancer Center and Research Institute, University of Mississippi Medical CenterMitchell Cancer Institute, University of South AlabamaCancer Center and Research Institute, University of Mississippi Medical CenterCancer Center and Research Institute, University of Mississippi Medical CenterMitchell Cancer Institute, University of South AlabamaCancer Center and Research Institute, University of Mississippi Medical CenterCancer Center and Research Institute, University of Mississippi Medical CenterCancer Center and Research Institute, University of Mississippi Medical CenterAbstract Background Ovarian cancer (OC) remains the most lethal gynecologic malignancy in the United States due to its late diagnosis, aggressive nature, and poor responsiveness to existing therapies. Dissecting the molecular mechanisms and identifying molecular drivers of aggressiveness and therapy resistance is critical for devising new therapies and improving patient outcomes. Methods MYB expression was evaluated in a panel of OC cell lines by immunoblotting. Gain and loss of function studies were performed by developing stable control and forced-MYB-expressing and -silenced cell lines, respectively. Functional assays included growth kinetics, clonogenicity, cell cycle, live-dead cell measurements, and annexin-V staining, followed by flow cytometry, migration and invasion assays, and MTT assays following drug treatment. Gene expression profiling was done using the nanoString PanCancer Progression panel. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) was performed to confirm MYB binding to the responsive gene promoter, followed by siRNA-mediated silencing to establish the intermediary role in potentiating the downstream effects. Results Low to high MYB expression was reported in all OC cell lines, with negligible expression reported in normal ovarian surface epithelial cells. MYB expression was significantly higher in aggressive (SKOV3-ip) and chemoresistant (A2780-CP) OC cell lines compared to the parental (SKOV3 and A2780) cells. Functional assays in MYB-overexpressing and -silenced OC cell lines demonstrated a role of MYB overexpression in increased cell proliferation, survival, migration, invasion, EMT, and chemoresistance. nanoString analysis and comparison of transcriptomic data of MYB-silenced SKOV3-ip and MYB-overexpressing SKOV3 cells with their respective control cells identified MYB-dependent genes. Interestingly, these target genes showed a limited overlap between cell lines, suggesting a cell-specific MYB-regulated gene regulation. AKT3 was consistently identified as a common MYB-regulated gene in multiple OC cell lines and confirmed as a direct transcriptional MYB target through confirmation of MYB binding to its promoter. Pathway analysis using the MYB-regulated transcriptomic data also identified PI3K/Akt signaling to be activated in MYB-overexpressing cells. siRNA-mediated silencing of AKT3 confirmed its role in potentiating the oncogenic actions of MYB in OC cells. Conclusion MYB/AKT3 axis drives ovarian cancer growth, aggressiveness, and chemoresistance, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target in ovarian cancer.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13048-025-01761-9MYBAKT3Ovarian cancer
spellingShingle Kunwar Somesh Vikramdeo
Orlandric Miree
Shashi Anand
Amod Sharma
Sanjeev Kumar Srivastava
Seema Singh
Rodney P Rocconi
Ajay Pratap Singh
MYB/AKT3 axis is a key driver of ovarian cancer growth, aggressiveness, and chemoresistance
Journal of Ovarian Research
MYB
AKT3
Ovarian cancer
title MYB/AKT3 axis is a key driver of ovarian cancer growth, aggressiveness, and chemoresistance
title_full MYB/AKT3 axis is a key driver of ovarian cancer growth, aggressiveness, and chemoresistance
title_fullStr MYB/AKT3 axis is a key driver of ovarian cancer growth, aggressiveness, and chemoresistance
title_full_unstemmed MYB/AKT3 axis is a key driver of ovarian cancer growth, aggressiveness, and chemoresistance
title_short MYB/AKT3 axis is a key driver of ovarian cancer growth, aggressiveness, and chemoresistance
title_sort myb akt3 axis is a key driver of ovarian cancer growth aggressiveness and chemoresistance
topic MYB
AKT3
Ovarian cancer
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13048-025-01761-9
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