A recurrent de novo MAX p.Arg60Gln variant causes a syndromic overgrowth disorder through differential expression of c-Myc target genes

Harris, Erica L., Roy, Vincent, Montagne, Martin, Rose, Ailsa M.S., Livesey, Helen, Reijnders, Margot R.F., Hobson, Emma, Sansbury, Francis H., Willemsen, Marjolein H., Pfundt, Rolph, Warren, Daniel, Long, Vernon, Carr, Ian M., Brunner, Han G., Sheridan, Eamonn G., Firth, Helen V., Lavigne, Pierre and Poulter, James A. 2024. A recurrent de novo MAX p.Arg60Gln variant causes a syndromic overgrowth disorder through differential expression of c-Myc target genes. American Journal of Human Genetics 111 (1) , pp. 119-132. 10.1016/j.ajhg.2023.11.010

Preview

PDF - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (5MB) | Preview

Abstract

Cyclin D2 (CCND2) stabilization underpins a range of macrocephaly-associated disorders through mutation of CCND2 or activating mutations in upstream genes encoding PI3K-AKT pathway components. Here, we describe three individuals with overlapping macrocephaly-associated phenotypes who carry the same recurrent de novo c.179G>A (p.Arg60Gln) variant in Myc-associated factor X (MAX). The mutation, located in the b-HLH-LZ domain, causes increased intracellular CCND2 through increased transcription but it does not cause stabilization of CCND2. We show that the purified b-HLH-LZ domain of MAXArg60Gln (Max∗Arg60Gln) binds its target E-box sequence with a lower apparent affinity. This leads to a more efficient heterodimerization with c-Myc resulting in an increase in transcriptional activity of c-Myc in individuals carrying this mutation. The recent development of Omomyc-CPP, a cell-penetrating b-HLH-LZ-domain c-Myc inhibitor, provides a possible therapeutic option for MAXArg60Gln individuals, and others carrying similar germline mutations resulting in dysregulated transcriptional c-Myc activity.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Medicine
Publisher:	Cell Press
ISSN:	0002-9297
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	25 March 2024
Date of Acceptance:	29 November 2023
Last Modified:	12 Apr 2024 14:45
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/167534

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item