Immunopeptidomics of small cell lung carcinoma (C04)

• Subject Area: Cell Biology ; Hematology, Oncology ; Immunology
• Term: since 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 413326622

M. Hölzel and his team will analyze the relationship of MYC and epigenetic modifier enzymes with respect to their impact on interferon signaling. In the first funding period, they have observed a strong collaboration of two different histone modifiers in controlling expression of chemokines of the interferon response. They also found a direct physical interaction of MYC and the H3K9me2 histone methyltransferases EHMT2 that was sensitive to pharmacological MYC inhibition. In the second funding period, they will seek to determine the molecular mechanism, by which MYC inhibition reduces the catalytic activity of epigenetic modifiers, e.g., through direct downregulation or disruption of any direct interaction of the different proteins. The team will then go on to determine how such perturbation modifies the interferon response in vitro. Finally, they will determine the impact of MYC inhibition in an immuno-competent mouse model of SCLC.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1399: Mechanisms of drug sensitivity and resistance in small cell lung cancer
• Applicant Institution: Universität zu Köln
• Project Head: Professor Dr. Michael Hölzel