MycN is a transcriptional regulator of livin in neuroblastoma

Abstract

Our previous studies have suggested that MycN may have a role in regulating livin expression in neuroblastoma. Here, we show that siRNA-mediated repression of MycN in neuroblastoma cells with both elevated MycN and livin expression resulted in significant downregulation of livin. Conversely, induction of MycN in neuroblastoma cells with low endogenous levels of MycN and livin protein upregulated livin expression. MycN directly associated with its regulatory motif (E-box) within the putative livin promoter. Based on these results, we hypothesize that MycN is required for livin expression and that livin may counteract the proapoptotic effects of MycN.