This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Raschellà, G. Articles by Calabretta, B. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Raschellà, G. Articles by Calabretta, B.

Expression of B-myb in Neuroblastoma Tumors Is a Poor Prognostic Factor Independent from MYCN Amplification¹

ENEA CR Casaccia, Section of Toxicology and Biomedical Sciences, 00060 Rome, Italy [G. R., V. C., R. A., A. N., B. T., P. A.]; Unit of Solid Tumor Biology, Advanced Biotechnology Center, Genoa, Italy [G. P. T.]; G. Gaslini Institute, IV Pediatric Division, 16100 Genoa, Italy [B. D. B.]; and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Kimmel Cancer Institute, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107 [B. C.]

The transcription factors of the Myb family are expressed in several tissues and play an important role in cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival. In this study, the expression of A-myb, B-myb, and c-myb was investigated in a group of 64 neuroblastomas at different clinical stages by a sensitive reverse transcription-PCR technique and correlated with patients’ survival. All of the myb genes were frequently expressed in neuroblastoma tumors. Interestingly, the expression of B-myb, which was detected in 33 cases, was associated with an increased risk of death (P = 0.027 in a univariate analysis), whereas there was no correlation with A-myb and c-myb expression. In addition, in a multivariate Cox regression analysis that included myb gene expression, MYCN status, age at diagnosis, and tumor staging, MYCN amplification and B-myb expression were independently associated to an increased risk (P < 0.01 and P = 0.015, respectively). In overall survival curves obtained by stratifying the neuroblastoma cases on the basis of MYCN status and B-myb expression, the group of patients without MYCN amplification and positive for B-myb expression had worse survival probability than that without MYCN amplification and nonexpressing B-myb (P < 0.01). In summary, these findings provide the first demonstration that B-myb expression can be a useful prognostic marker in human neuroblastoma. Moreover, B-myb expression has a prognostic value complementary to MYCN amplification and can identify a group of high-risk patients that would not be predicted on the basis of the MYCN status only.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. L. Hess, C. B. Bittner, D. T. Zeisig, C. Bach, U. Fuchs, A. Borkhardt, J. Frampton, and R. K. Slany c-Myb is an essential downstream target for homeobox-mediated transformation of hematopoietic cells Blood, July 1, 2006; 108(1): 297 - 304. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. A. Bryan, O. F. Dyson, and S. M. Akula Identifying cellular genes crucial for the reactivation of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus latency. J. Gen. Virol., March 1, 2006; 87(Pt 3): 519 - 529. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. S. Lipsick synMuv verite--Myb comes into focus Genes & Dev., December 1, 2004; 18(23): 2837 - 2844. [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. Lei, J. J. Rushton, L. M. Davis, F. Liu, and S. A. Ness Positive and Negative Determinants of Target Gene Specificity in Myb Transcription Factors J. Biol. Chem., July 9, 2004; 279(28): 29519 - 29527. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Tanno, A. Negroni, R. Vitali, M. C. Pirozzoli, V. Cesi, C. Mancini, B. Calabretta, and G. Raschella Expression of Insulin-like Growth Factor-binding Protein 5 in Neuroblastoma Cells Is Regulated at the Transcriptional Level by c-Myb and B-Myb via Direct and Indirect Mechanisms J. Biol. Chem., June 21, 2002; 277(26): 23172 - 23180. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. N. Cervellera and A. Sala Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase Is a B-MYB Coactivator J. Biol. Chem., March 31, 2000; 275(14): 10692 - 10696. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Cervellera, G. Raschella, G. Santilli, B. Tanno, A. Ventura, C. Mancini, C. Sevignani, B. Calabretta, and A. Sala Direct Transactivation of the Anti-apoptotic Gene Apolipoprotein J (Clusterin) by B-MYB J. Biol. Chem., July 7, 2000; 275(28): 21055 - 21060. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]