High level MYC expression is associated with almost all human cancers. JQ1, a chemical compound that inhibits MYC expression is therapeutically effective in preclinical animal models in midline carcinoma, and Burkitt’s lymphoma (BL). Here we show that JQ1 does not inhibit MYC expression to a similar extent in all tumor cells. The BL cells showed a ∼90% decrease in MYC transcription upon treatment with JQ1, however, no corresponding reduction was seen in several non-BL cells. Molecularly, these differences appear due to requirements of Brd4, the most active version of the Positive Transcription Elongation Factor B (P-TEFb) within the Super Elongation Complex (SEC), and transcription factors such as Gdown1, and MED26 and also other unknown cell specific factors. Our study demonstrates that the regulation of high levels of MYC expression in different cancer cells is driven by unique regulatory mechanisms and that such exclusive regulatory signatures in each cancer cells could be employed for targeted therapeutics.

In order to preserve genetic information in stress conditions, bacterial DNA is organized into higher order nucleoid structure. In this paper, with the help of Atomic Force Microscopy, we show the different structural changes in mycobacterial nucleoid at different points of growth in the presence of different concentrations of glucose in the medium. We also observe that in Mycobacterium smegmatis, two different Dps proteins (Dps1 and Dps2) promote two types of nucleoid organizations. At the late stationary phase, under low glucose availability, Dps1 binds to DNA to form a very stable toroid structure. On the other hand, under the same condition, Dps2-DNA complex forms an incompletely condensed toroid and finally forms a further stable coral reef structure in the presence of RNA. This coral reef structure is stable in high concentration of bivalent ion like Mg2+.

The Dps (DNA-binding protein from starved cells) proteins from Mycobacterium smegmatis MsDps1 and MsDps2 are both DNA-binding proteins with some differences. While MsDps1 has two oligomeric states, with one of them responsible for DNA binding, MsDps2 has only one DNA-binding oligomeric state. Both the proteins however, show iron-binding activity. The MsDps1 protein has been shown previously to be induced under conditions of starvation and osmotic stress and is regulated by the extra cellular sigma factors σH and σF. We show here, that the second Dps homologue in M. smegmatis, namely MsDps2, is purified in a DNA-bound form and exhibits nucleoid-like structures under the atomic force microscope. It appears that the N-terminal sequence of Dps2 plays a role in nucleoid formation. MsDps2, unlike MsDps1, does not show elevated expression in nutritionally starved or stationary phase conditions; rather its promoter is recognized by RNA polymerase containing σA or σB, under in vitro conditions. We propose that due to the nucleoid-condensing ability, the expression of MsDps2 is tightly regulated inside the cells.

BackgroundThe costimulatory receptor CD137 (also known as 4-1BB and TNFRSF9) plays an important role in sustaining effective cytotoxic T cell immune responses and its agonism has been investigated as a cancer immunotherapy. In clinical trials, the systemic administration of the 1st generation CD137 agonist monotherapies, utomilumab and urelumab, were suspended due to either low anti-tumor efficacy or hepatotoxicity mediated by recognized epitope on CD137 and FcγR ligand-dependent clustering.MethodsM9657, a bispecific antibody was engineered a tetravalent bispecific antibody (mAb2) format with the Fab portion binding to the tumor antigen Mesothelin (MSLN) and a modified CH2-CH3 domain as Fc antigen binding (Fcab) portion binding to CD137. M9657 has a human IgG1 backbone with LALA mutations to abrogate the binding to Fcγ receptor. The biological characteristics and activities of M9657 were investigated in a series of in vitro assays and the in vivo efficacy was investigated in syngeneic tumor models with FS122m, a murine-reactive surrogate with the same protein structure of M9657.ResultsM9657 binds efficiently to both human and Cynomolgus CD137 as well as MSLN. In the cellular functional assay, M9657 displayed MSLN- and TCR/CD3 interaction (signal 1)-dependent cytokine release and tumor cell cytotoxicity associated with Bcl-XL activation and immune memory formation. FS122m demonstrated potent MSLN- and dose- dependent in vivo anti-tumor efficacy (figure 1). Comparing with 3H3, a Urelumab surrogate Ab, FS122m displayed an improved therapeutic window with significantly lower for on-target /off-tumor toxicity.ConclusionsTaken together, M9657 exhibits a promising developability profile as a tumor-targeted immune agonist with potent anti-cancer activity, but without systemic immune activation.Ethics ApprovalAll animal experiments were performed in accordance with EMD Serono Research & Development Institute (protocol 17-008, 20-005) and Wuxi AppTec Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) guidelines.Abstract 757 Figure 1FS122m displayed dose-dependent anti-tumor efficacy

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