Related Experiment Videos
myc gene amplification and expression in primary human neuroblastoma
I Slavc1, R Ellenbogen, W H Jung
1Division of Genetics, Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
Cancer Research
|March 1, 1990
Summary
Neuroblastoma progression is not solely linked to N-myc amplification. This study found common N-myc and c-myc expression, but without N-myc amplification, gene expression doesn't predict disease advancement.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Neuroblastoma is a pediatric cancer where N-myc gene amplification often indicates a poor prognosis.
- However, some neuroblastomas lacking N-myc amplification also exhibit treatment resistance, suggesting alternative oncogene activation pathways.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the roles of N-myc, c-myc, and L-myc gene activation in neuroblastoma progression.
- To determine if alternative myc gene activation modes contribute to treatment-resistant neuroblastomas.
Main Methods:
- Analyzed 45 neuroblastoma tumor samples for amplification of N-myc, c-myc, and L-myc genes.
- Assessed the transcription levels of these oncogenes in 26 tumor samples.
Main Results:
- N-myc amplification was detected in 6 out of 45 tumors; c-myc and L-myc amplification were not observed.
- Both N-myc and c-myc were transcribed in 21 out of 26 neuroblastomas.
- Tumors without N-myc amplification did not show comparable N-myc expression levels.
- Five samples expressed c-myc but not N-myc, all showing ganglioneuroma histology.
Conclusions:
- N-myc and c-myc are frequently expressed in untreated neuroblastomas.
- In the absence of N-myc amplification, the expression of N-myc and c-myc does not appear to correlate with disease progression.