Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39119816›Full record

ArticleMolecular oncology2025

Transcription factor 4 is a key mediator of oncogenesis in neuroblastoma by promoting MYC activity.

Nour A Aljouda, Dewan Shrestha, Chelsea DeVaux, Rachelle R Olsen, Satyanarayana Alleboina, Megan Walker, Yong Cheng, Kevin W Freeman

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Molecular oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Molecular regulation and therapeutic targeting ofFrontiers in cell and developmental biology · 2025
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Nour A AljoudaDepartment of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA.
Dewan ShresthaDepartment of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA.
Chelsea DeVauxDepartment of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA.
Rachelle R OlsenDepartment of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
Satyanarayana AlleboinaDepartment of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA.
Megan WalkerDepartment of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA.
Yong ChengDepartment of Hematology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA.
Kevin W FreemanDepartment of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8952-5422

Funding

Dissecting the contribution of the transcriptional regulators of SNS fate to neuroblastoma oncogenesisR01CA216394 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE HEALTH SCI CTR · PI FREEMAN, KEVIN W. · 2018 to 2022
$1.7M
NCI NIH HHS R01 CA216394United States National Cancer Institute R01CA216394
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Super-enhancer-associated transcription factor networks define cell identity in neuroblastoma (NB). Dysregulation of these transcription factors contributes to the initiation and maintenance of NB by enforcing early developmental identity states. We report that the class I basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor 4 (TCF4; also known as E2-2) is a critical NB dependency gene that significantly contributes to these identity states through heterodimerization with cell-identity-specific bHLH transcription factors. Knockdown of TCF4 significantly induces apoptosis in vitro and inhibits tumorigenicity in vivo. We used genome-wide expression profiling, TCF4 chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) and TCF4 immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry to determine the role of TCF4 in NB cells. Our results, along with recent findings in NB for the transcription factors T-box transcription factor TBX2, heart- and neural crest derivatives-expressed protein 2 (HAND2) and twist-related protein 1 (TWIST1), propose a role for TCF4 in regulating forkhead box protein M1 (FOXM1)/transcription factor E2F-driven gene regulatory networks that control cell cycle progression in cooperation with N-myc proto-oncogene protein (MYCN), TBX2, and the TCF4 dimerization partners HAND2 and TWIST1. Collectively, we showed that TCF4 promotes cell proliferation through direct transcriptional regulation of the c-MYC/MYCN oncogenic program that drives high-risk NB. Mechanistically, our data suggest the novel finding that TCF4 acts to support MYC activity by recruiting multiple factors known to regulate MYC function to sites of colocalization between critical NB transcription factors, TCF4 and MYC oncoproteins. Many of the TCF4-recruited factors are druggable, giving insight into potential therapies for high-risk NB. This study identifies a new function for class I bHLH transcription factors (e.g., TCF3, TCF4, and TCF12) that are important in cancer and development.

Indexed as

Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription FactorsCarcinogenesisNeuroblastomaProto-Oncogene Proteins c-mycTranscription Factor 4AnimalsCell Line, TumorGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansMiceProto-Oncogene MasBasic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription FactorsMAS1 protein, humanProto-Oncogene MasProto-Oncogene Proteins c-mycTCF4 protein, humanTranscription Factor 4core regulatory circuitMYCNneuroblastomasuper‐enhancerTCF4transcription factor

Identifiers

PMID39119816
PMCPMC11887674

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.