Abstract
The Pim kinases are weak oncogenes. However, when co-expressed with a strong oncogene, such as c-Myc, Pim kinases potentiate the oncogenic effect resulting in an acceleration of tumorigenesis. In this study we show that the least studied Pim kinase, Pim-3, is encoded by a gene directly regulated by c-Myc via binding to one of the conserved E-boxes within the Pim3 gene. Accordingly, lymphomas arising in Myc-transgenic mice and Burkitt lymphoma cell lines exhibit elevated levels of Pim-3. Interestingly, inhibition of Pim kinases by a novel pan-Pim kinase inhibitor, Pimi, in Myc-induced lymphoma results in cell death that appears independent of caspases. The data indicate that Pim kinase inhibition could be a viable treatment strategy in certain human lymphomas that rely on Pim-3 kinase expression.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Caspase 3 / metabolism
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Cell Line, Tumor
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Cell Survival / drug effects
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Cell Survival / genetics
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Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / drug effects
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Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / genetics*
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Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / pathology
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Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
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Humans
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Lymphoma, B-Cell / genetics*
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Lymphoma, B-Cell / pathology*
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Mice
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Mice, Transgenic
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NIH 3T3 Cells
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Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / physiology*
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins / genetics
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins / physiology*
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / genetics
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / metabolism
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / physiology*
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-pim-1 / antagonists & inhibitors
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-pim-1 / genetics
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-pim-1 / metabolism
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-pim-1 / physiology*
Substances
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Protein Kinase Inhibitors
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc
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PIM3 protein, human
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-pim-1
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proto-oncogene proteins pim
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Caspase 3