They discover for the first time how a specific cell gene affects the transformation of others

An international team composed of seven Spanish and American institutions and in which participates the University of València (Spain) discovered for the first time that the biological activity of the c-MYC gene is necessary for cell reprogramming, c & # 39; That is, the process by which a specialized cell – for example a neuron – is transformed into a different cell type. According to the results published in Stem Cell Reports, the internal cell activity promoted by the MYC family genes can be at the origin of any cellular transformation.

The study by Javier Prieto (first author of the book), Xavier Ponsoda, Salva Martí, Marian Leon, Carlos López and Josema Torres (director of works), Department of Cell Biology, Functional Biology and Physical Anthropology of the University of València, completely dismantles the previous paradigm on how the c-MYC gene affects cell reprogramming. The article published in the journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISCCR) describes a remodeling of mitochondrial dynamics and metabolism by the c-MYC gene during the first phase of this process.

"Our results demonstrate for the first time that the biological activity of the MYC gene family is required to transform a somatic cell into a pluripotent cell that, once differentiated, can give rise to any cell of any kind. the adult organism.Because of the parallel between the process of reprogramming described and the cellular transformation performed by oncogenes, our results suggest that endogenous MYC genes could explain the action of these oncogenes to transform a normal cell in a cancer cell, so MYC proteins are identified as potential therapeutic targets in tumors where they are not directly responsible for the oncogenes, "said Josema Torres, also a research associate at INCLIVA.

(Front, from left to right): Javier Prieto, Marianne Leon, Carlos López and Josema Torres. (In identical order): Xavier Ponsoda i Salva Martí. (Photo: U. València)

Thus, prior to this study, it was thought that during cell reprogramming, oxidation phosphorylation was canceled. It is a metabolic process that uses the energy released by the oxidation of nutrients to produce ATP, a molecule used to generate energy during of chemical reactions that occur in the body. At the same time, it was thought that this process was canceled during cell reprogramming and that glycolysis also occurred (a succession of chemical reactions by which the cell derives energy from glucose).

The new results demonstrate the importance of metabolic processes for cell reprogramming, where the protein that governs this process is c-MYC. And they also prove that during this transformation, there is a process called bivalent or hybrid metabolism, in which both oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis occur.

The MYC genes, a group of which c-MYC is a member, belong to the family of proto-oncogenes and are the ones that promote cell division. These genes are found in the nucleus of cells and encode proteins. They therefore regulate the activity of other genes. In the transformation for example of a somatic cell (any cell of bones, tissues, organs, blood or skin of the human body), it is very likely that the metabolic changes resulting from its c-MYC gene will be needed for this process to take place.
The research was funded by the European Regional Development Fund of the European Union (ERDF), the Ministry of Economy and Enterprise and the Ramón Areces Foundation. (Source: U. València)