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MYC-Driven Activation of USP39 Enhances SRSF1 Stability and Promotes PDAC Progression
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|September 5, 2025
Summary
Researchers discovered a new regulatory pathway in pancreatic cancer involving MYC, USP39, and SRSF1. This axis stabilizes key proteins, promoting tumor growth and offering a potential new therapeutic target for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal cancer driven by KRAS signaling.
- The splicing factor SRSF1 is crucial in PDAC, with its expression levels influencing tumorigenesis.
- SRSF1 regulation involves proteostasis, but specific mechanisms are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the deubiquitinase regulating SRSF1 stability in PDAC.
- To elucidate the regulatory mechanisms controlling SRSF1 in pancreatic cancer.
- To investigate USP39 as a potential therapeutic target in PDAC.
Main Methods:
- Identified USP39 as an SRSF1-interacting deubiquitinase.
- Assessed USP39 expression in PDAC tumors and patient survival data.
- Performed USP39 knockdown and SRSF1 overexpression experiments in PDAC cells.
- Investigated MYC's transcriptional regulation of USP39.
Main Results:
- USP39 stabilizes SRSF1 by reducing its ubiquitination.
- USP39 is upregulated in PDAC and associated with poor prognosis.
- USP39 knockdown inhibits PDAC cell proliferation and migration.
- MYC directly activates USP39 transcription via its exon 1b promoter.
Conclusions:
- A MYC-USP39-SRSF1 regulatory axis integrates transcriptional and post-translational control in PDAC.
- USP39 stabilizes SRSF1, contributing to KRAS-driven PDAC.
- USP39 represents a promising therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer.
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