MYC, a proto-oncogene, consists of 3 paralogs: C-MYC, N-MYC, and L-MYC. It functions as a universal amplifier of transcription, regulating diverse cellular processes such as cell cycle, proliferation, metabolism, differentiation, and apoptosis [2,3,4,5]. MYC is frequently deregulated in human cancers, being dysregulated in approximately 70% of cases, and is involved in tumor initiation and maintenance, making it an appealing therapeutic target [1].

In vivo studies have shown that MYC inhibition leads to anti-proliferative effects and tumor regression while causing reversible changes in healthy tissue [1]. Some compounds that directly or indirectly inhibit MYC have demonstrated anticancer activity in preclinical tumor models [2]. Strategies for targeting MYC include inhibiting its binding to MAX, preventing its expression, and blocking genes with synthetic lethality upon MYC overexpression [2].

In conclusion, MYC is a key regulator of multiple cellular functions. The findings from in vivo studies on MYC inhibition highlight its potential as a therapeutic target in cancer treatment. Understanding MYC's role through such model-based research is crucial for developing effective cancer therapies.

References:

1. Llombart, Victor, Mansour, Marc R. 2021. Therapeutic targeting of "undruggable" MYC. In EBioMedicine, 75, 103756. doi:10.1016/j.ebiom.2021.103756. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34942444/

2. Duffy, Michael J, O'Grady, Shane, Tang, Minhong, Crown, John. 2021. MYC as a target for cancer treatment. In Cancer treatment reviews, 94, 102154. doi:10.1016/j.ctrv.2021.102154. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33524794/

3. Das, Subhendu K, Lewis, Brian A, Levens, David. 2022. MYC: a complex problem. In Trends in cell biology, 33, 235-246. doi:10.1016/j.tcb.2022.07.006. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35963793/

4. Baluapuri, Apoorva, Wolf, Elmar, Eilers, Martin. 2020. Target gene-independent functions of MYC oncoproteins. In Nature reviews. Molecular cell biology, 21, 255-267. doi:10.1038/s41580-020-0215-2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32071436/

5. Jha, Rajiv Kumar, Kouzine, Fedor, Levens, David. 2023. MYC function and regulation in physiological perspective. In Frontiers in cell and developmental biology, 11, 1268275. doi:10.3389/fcell.2023.1268275. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37941901/