MYCN and KAT2A form a feedforward loop to drive an oncogenic transcriptional program in neuroblastoma
Abstract The oncoprotein MYCN drives malignancy in various cancer types, including neuroblastoma (NB). However, our understanding of the mechanisms underlying its transcriptional activity and oncogenic function, as well as effective strategies to target it, remains limited. We discovered that MYCN i...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Publishing Group
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Oncogenesis |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41389-025-00557-2 |
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| _version_ | 1849709714453037056 |
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| author | Zhihui Liu Jason J. Hong Xiyuan Zhang Carly M. Sayers Wendy Fang Man Xu Sydney Loria Sakereh Maskal Haiyan Lei Haitao Wu Rolf Swenson Jordan L. Meier Jack F. Shern Carol J. Thiele |
| author_facet | Zhihui Liu Jason J. Hong Xiyuan Zhang Carly M. Sayers Wendy Fang Man Xu Sydney Loria Sakereh Maskal Haiyan Lei Haitao Wu Rolf Swenson Jordan L. Meier Jack F. Shern Carol J. Thiele |
| author_sort | Zhihui Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The oncoprotein MYCN drives malignancy in various cancer types, including neuroblastoma (NB). However, our understanding of the mechanisms underlying its transcriptional activity and oncogenic function, as well as effective strategies to target it, remains limited. We discovered that MYCN interacts with the transcriptional coactivator KAT2A, and this interaction significantly contributes to MYCN’s activity in NB. Our genome-wide analyses indicate MYCN recruits KAT2A to bind to DNA, thereby transcriptionally regulating genes associated with ribosome biogenesis and RNA processing. Moreover, we identified that MYCN directly activates KAT2A transcription, while KAT2A acetylates MYCN, increasing MYCN protein stability. Consequently, MYCN and KAT2A establish a feedforward loop that effectively regulates global gene expression, governing the malignant NB phenotype. Treatment of NB cells with a KAT2A Proteolysis Targeting Chimera (PROTAC) degrader reduces MYCN protein levels, antagonizes MYCN-mediated gene transcription regulation and suppresses cell proliferation. This study highlights the potential of transcriptional cofactors as viable targets for developing anti-MYCN therapies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a44fb64761754bd184ac35a697b03615 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2157-9024 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Oncogenesis |
| spelling | doaj-art-a44fb64761754bd184ac35a697b036152025-08-20T03:15:10ZengNature Publishing GroupOncogenesis2157-90242025-04-0114111310.1038/s41389-025-00557-2MYCN and KAT2A form a feedforward loop to drive an oncogenic transcriptional program in neuroblastomaZhihui Liu0Jason J. Hong1Xiyuan Zhang2Carly M. Sayers3Wendy Fang4Man Xu5Sydney Loria6Sakereh Maskal7Haiyan Lei8Haitao Wu9Rolf Swenson10Jordan L. Meier11Jack F. Shern12Carol J. Thiele13Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer InstitutePediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer InstitutePediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer InstitutePediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer InstitutePediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer InstitutePediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer InstitutePediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer InstitutePediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer InstitutePediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer InstituteChemistry and Synthesis Center, National Heart, Lung, and Blood InstituteChemistry and Synthesis Center, National Heart, Lung, and Blood InstituteChemical Biology Laboratory, National Cancer InstitutePediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer InstitutePediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer InstituteAbstract The oncoprotein MYCN drives malignancy in various cancer types, including neuroblastoma (NB). However, our understanding of the mechanisms underlying its transcriptional activity and oncogenic function, as well as effective strategies to target it, remains limited. We discovered that MYCN interacts with the transcriptional coactivator KAT2A, and this interaction significantly contributes to MYCN’s activity in NB. Our genome-wide analyses indicate MYCN recruits KAT2A to bind to DNA, thereby transcriptionally regulating genes associated with ribosome biogenesis and RNA processing. Moreover, we identified that MYCN directly activates KAT2A transcription, while KAT2A acetylates MYCN, increasing MYCN protein stability. Consequently, MYCN and KAT2A establish a feedforward loop that effectively regulates global gene expression, governing the malignant NB phenotype. Treatment of NB cells with a KAT2A Proteolysis Targeting Chimera (PROTAC) degrader reduces MYCN protein levels, antagonizes MYCN-mediated gene transcription regulation and suppresses cell proliferation. This study highlights the potential of transcriptional cofactors as viable targets for developing anti-MYCN therapies.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41389-025-00557-2 |
| spellingShingle | Zhihui Liu Jason J. Hong Xiyuan Zhang Carly M. Sayers Wendy Fang Man Xu Sydney Loria Sakereh Maskal Haiyan Lei Haitao Wu Rolf Swenson Jordan L. Meier Jack F. Shern Carol J. Thiele MYCN and KAT2A form a feedforward loop to drive an oncogenic transcriptional program in neuroblastoma Oncogenesis |
| title | MYCN and KAT2A form a feedforward loop to drive an oncogenic transcriptional program in neuroblastoma |
| title_full | MYCN and KAT2A form a feedforward loop to drive an oncogenic transcriptional program in neuroblastoma |
| title_fullStr | MYCN and KAT2A form a feedforward loop to drive an oncogenic transcriptional program in neuroblastoma |
| title_full_unstemmed | MYCN and KAT2A form a feedforward loop to drive an oncogenic transcriptional program in neuroblastoma |
| title_short | MYCN and KAT2A form a feedforward loop to drive an oncogenic transcriptional program in neuroblastoma |
| title_sort | mycn and kat2a form a feedforward loop to drive an oncogenic transcriptional program in neuroblastoma |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41389-025-00557-2 |
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