Prototypical oncogene family Myc defines unappreciated distinct lineage states of small cell lung cancer

Abstract

Historically well-known tumor-promoting gene family plays a key role in cell identity regulation in small cell lung cancer. Comprehensive genomic analyses of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) have revealed frequent mutually exclusive genomic amplification of MYC family members. Hence, it has been long suggested that they are functionally equivalent; however, more recently, their expression has been associated with specific neuroendocrine markers and distinct histopathology. Here, we explored a previously undescribed role of L-Myc and c-Myc as lineage-determining factors contributing to SCLC molecular subtypes and histology. Integrated transcriptomic and epigenomic analyses showed that L-Myc and c-Myc impart neuronal and non-neuroendocrine–associated transcriptional programs, respectively, both associated with distinct SCLC lineage. Genetic replacement of c-Myc with L-Myc in c-Myc–SCLC induced a neuronal state but was insufficient to induce ASCL1-SCLC. In contrast, c-Myc induced transition from ASCL1-SCLC to NEUROD1–SCLC characterized by distinct large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma–like histopathology. Collectively, we characterize a role of historically defined general oncogenes, c-Myc and L-Myc, for regulating lineage plasticity across molecular and histological subtypes.