# Targeting the MYC Pathway for the Treatment of Cancer

> **NIH NIH R35** · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $73,613

## Abstract

Abstract
The MYC oncogene is a common cause of human cancers and the presence of MYC alterations is
associated with poor prognosis for hematological malignancies. To date, there are no FDA approved
MYC specific drugs and this is an area of active research. Our laboratory is focused on understanding
how MYC causes cancer and identifying genes and pathways that can be targeted to treat cancer.
There is now a wealth of evidence indicating that MYC suppresses the immune system during tumor
development and experimental inactivation of MYC relieves this suppression resulting in an anti-cancer
immune response. While we have mechanistic insight into how MYC regulates CD4+ T-cells, NK cells
and macrophages, it is still not know whether MYC also influences B-cell immunity. This fact is
suggested by our preliminary data which indicates that experimental shut off of MYC results in an
enhanced serum IgG antibody response that appears to be tumor specific. This begs the question of
how exactly B-cell responses are altered in the presence of MYC activation, what antigens are being
recognized and what impact do serum antibodies and B-cells have on disease regression following
MYC inactivation. We hypothesize that that MYC inactivation leads to a change in the B-cell MHC
class II peptide repertoire altering the type and spectrum of antigens presented and contributing to
increased tumor immunogenicity. We will use a well described model of MYC-driven T-cell acute
lymphoblastic lymphoma (hMYC T-ALL) to address the following two aims: AIM 1) Interrogate the role
of MYC on regulating the B-cell MHC II antigen processing machinery and AIM 2) defining the influence
of MYC on the B-cell MHC class II peptide repertoire. It is our hope that this study will identify new
antigenic targets and antibodies that will form the basis of future therapies and additional lines of
inquiry.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10987359
- **Project number:** 3R35CA253180-04S1
- **Recipient organization:** STANFORD UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** DEAN W FELSHER
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $73,613
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-09-08 → 2027-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10987359

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10987359, Targeting the MYC Pathway for the Treatment of Cancer (3R35CA253180-04S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10987359. Licensed CC0.

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