SRA

Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) is the most aggressive type of lung cancer with early metastatic dissemination and invariable development of resistant disease for which no effective treatment is available to date. Mouse models of SCLC based on inactivation of Rb1 and Trp53 developed earlier showed frequent amplifications of two transcription factor genes: Nfib and Mycl. Overexpression of Nfib but not Mycl in SCLC mouse results in an enhanced and altered metastatic profile, and appears to be associated with genomic instability. NFIB promotes tumor heterogeneity with the concomitant expansive growth of poorly differentiated, highly proliferative, and invasive tumor cell populations. Consistent with the mouse data, NFIB expression in high-grade human neuroendocrine carcinomas correlates with advanced stage III/IV disease warranting its further assessment as a potentially valuable progression marker in a clinical setting.