Highly Specific Inhibition of <i>c-Myc</i> Oncogene Expression through Shifting the G-Quadruplex toward a Triplex Structure

G-quadruplexes act as transcriptional triggers in oncogenes, and small molecules targeting them show anticancer potential but lack sequence specificity, risking off-target effects. Here, we introduce original fold-back triplex-forming oligonucleotides (FTFOs) as precise alternatives. Physicochemical and biological analyses revealed that FTFOs unfold the <i>c-Myc</i> G-quadruplex and repress oncogene regulatory element by forming noncanonical triplexes that block G-quadruplex DNA from interacting with transcription factors. Derived design rules enabled the identification of FTFOs that reduce <i>c-Myc</i> expression in the Del4 plasmid by up to 80%, significantly impairing cancer cell growth, confluence, mobility, and endogenous <i>c-Myc</i> expression. This work presents FTFOs as an innovative sequence-specific strategy for arresting G-quadruplex structures via triplex formation and suppressing oncogene activity, offering a promising avenue for targeted anticancer therapy.

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Publication Details

Journal
Journal of Medicinal Chemistry
Published
2025-11-12
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5c02386
Primary Topic
DNA and Nucleic Acid Chemistry
Type
article
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article

Highly Specific Inhibition of c-Myc Oncogene Expression through Shifting the G-Quadruplex toward a Triplex Structure

Jolanta Lisowiec‐Wąchnicka, Karolina Zielińska, Anna Pasternak
Journal of Medicinal Chemistry
DNA and Nucleic Acid Chemistry
article

Highly Specific Inhibition of c-Myc Oncogene Expression through Shifting the G-Quadruplex toward a Triplex Structure

Jolanta Lisowiec‐Wąchnicka, Karolina Zielińska, Anna Pasternak
article en

Abstract

G-quadruplexes act as transcriptional triggers in oncogenes, and small molecules targeting them show anticancer potential but lack sequence specificity, risking off-target effects. Here, we introduce original fold-back triplex-forming oligonucleotides (FTFOs) as precise alternatives. Physicochemical and biological analyses revealed that FTFOs unfold the <i>c-Myc</i> G-quadruplex and repress oncogene regulatory element by forming noncanonical triplexes that block G-quadruplex DNA from interacting with transcription factors. Derived design rules enabled the identification of FTFOs that reduce <i>c-Myc</i> expression in the Del4 plasmid by up to 80%, significantly impairing cancer cell growth, confluence, mobility, and endogenous <i>c-Myc</i> expression. This work presents FTFOs as an innovative sequence-specific strategy for arresting G-quadruplex structures via triplex formation and suppressing oncogene activity, offering a promising avenue for targeted anticancer therapy.

Journal of Medicinal ChemistryVol. 68(22)
Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences (PL)
Openalex Percentile: Top 69%
DNA and Nucleic Acid Chemistry
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Highly Specific Inhibition of <i>c-Myc</i> Oncogene Expression through Shifting the G-Quadruplex toward a Triplex Structure — Jolanta Lisowiec‐Wąchnicka, Karolina Zielińska, et al. · Journal of Medicinal Chemistry (2025) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS