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REVIEW article
Front. Oncol.
Sec. Molecular and Cellular Oncology
Volume 15 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fonc.2025.1584978
This article is part of the Research TopicMolecular Mechanisms and Treatment of MYCN-driven Tumors - Volume IIView all 3 articles
MYCN as an oncogene in pediatric brain tumors
Provisionally accepted- 1Center for Molecular Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, United States
- 2Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, United States
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MYCN, or N-Myc, is a member of the MYC family of transcription factors, which plays a key role in tumor formation by regulating genes involved in proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. MYCN is essential for neural development, especially for the appropriate growth and differentiation of neural progenitor cells, and its aberrant expression contributes to tumorigenesis. Gene amplification and mutations of this gene have been observed in a wide variety of cancer types, particularly in pediatric brain and non-brain tumors, such as neuroblastoma. Previous studies have provided extensive insights into the complex regulatory network of this transcription factor. Additionally, the presence of MYCN alterations in patient tumors serve as a key factor for risk stratification, as it correlates with poorer outcomes, and presents a significant challenge for treatment. Despite its clinical significance, therapeutic targeting of MYCN is challenging due to its structure, nuclear localization, and complex regulatory pathways. Efforts to target MYCN have focused on destabilizing the protein, modulating epigenetic mechanisms, and disrupting its transcriptional network. This review explores the role of MYCN in different subtypes of pediatric brain tumors and highlights novel ongoing therapeutic approaches. However, further research is necessary to develop more effective therapies and improve survival outcomes for patients with MYCN-driven tumor.
Keywords: MYCN, pediatric brain tumors, tumorigenesis, oncogene, Neuro-Oncology
Received: 28 Feb 2025; Accepted: 09 Apr 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Fernandez Garcia, Jackson, Iyer, Oliver and Funato. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Adriana Fernandez Garcia, Center for Molecular Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, United States
Kosuke Funato, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, United States
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.