Cited by 162Cancer-related Molecular PathwaysHair Growth and DisordersDevelopmental Biology and Gene Regulation

MYC in mammalian epidermis: how can an oncogene stimulate differentiation?

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Watt, Fiona M., Frye, Michaela, Benitah, Salvador Aznar·2008·Nature Reviews Cancer

Abstract

MYC in human epidermal stem cells can stimulate differentiation rather than uncontrolled proliferation. This discovery was, understandably, greeted with scepticism by researchers. However, subsequent studies have confirmed that MYC can stimulate epidermal stem cells to differentiate and have shed light on the underlying mechanisms. Two concepts that are relevant to cancer have emerged: first, MYC regulates similar genes in different cell types, but the biological consequences are context-dependent; and second, MYC activation is not a simple 'on/off' switch - the cellular response depends on the strength and duration of MYC activity, which in turn is affected by the many cofactors and regulatory pathways with which MYC interacts.

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  • In an in vivo setting, c-Myc labels cells in the SGPZ and regulates both sebocyte proliferation and differentiation.

    “In an in vivo setting, c-Myc labels cells in the SGPZ and regulates both sebocyte proliferation and differentiation31 (Supplementary Fig. 5a).”

    From Blimp1+ cells generate functional mouse sebaceous gland organoids in vitro (2019) · cites this paper as [31]

    The ‘Intersection of Myc with other regulatory molecules’ section reports that Myc stimulates proliferation in the sebaceous gland and promotes sebaceous-gland differentiation. The ‘Modulating Myc activity in the epidermis in vivo’ section also reports increased sebaceous differentiation after Myc activation in mice. Our copy does not identify c-Myc as a marker of cells in the SGPZ; the Introduction locates detected c-Myc protein in zones of the hair follicle instead. No page numbers were provided for these passages. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • c-Myc has been reported as a key regulator of differentiation in the SG in vivo.

    “Accordingly, c-Myc has been reported as a key regulator of differentiation in the SG in vivo31, 33.”
  • c-Myc is a fundamental factor that governs sebaceous gland expansion in vivo.

    “A fundamental factor that governs SG expansion in vivo is c-Myc3, 29–31,.”

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Authors
Watt, F. M., Frye, M., & Benitah, S. A.
Affiliations
  • Cancer Research UK (GB)
  • Wellcome/MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute (GB)
  • Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (ES)
Corresponding author
Watt, Fiona M.
Venue
Nature Reviews Cancer
Published
2008-03
Volume
8
Issue
3
Pages
234-242
ISSN
  • 1474-175X (ISSN-L)
  • 1474-1768
OpenAlex
W2011019484
Cited by
157
References
79
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 14
FWCI
1.70
Type
journal article
Language
en
Update notices
erratum (2008-04-01)
Open access
Locations
  • Nature reviews. Cancer (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • Wellcome Trust (78769, 079894)
  • Cancer Research UK (A7989, A3602, A10212, A7006)
  • National Cancer Institute
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer-related Molecular Pathways
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Urology › Hair Growth and Disorders
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
Keywords
c-Myc, epidermal stem cells, differentiation, oncogene function, carcinogenesis, context-dependent gene regulation, skin cancer
MeSH terms
Animals, Cell Adhesion, Cell Differentiation, Chromatin, Epidermis, Gene Expression Regulation, Humans, Models, Biological, Oncogenes, Skin Neoplasms, Keratinocytes, Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic, Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc, Cell Proliferation, Mice

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