Nuclear localization of phosphorylated c-Myc protein in human tumor cells

Using immunocytochemical techniques at light and electron microscopy, we analysed the distribution of phosphorylated c-Myc in actively proliferating human HeLa cells. The distribution pattern of c-Myc was also compared with those of other ribonucleoprotein (RNP)-containing components (PANA, hnRNP-core proteins, fibrillarin) or RNP-associated nuclear proteins (SC-35 splicing factor). Our results provide the first evidence that phosphorylated c-Myc accumulates in the nucleus of tumor cells, where it colocalizes with fibrillarin, both in the nucleolus and in extranucleolar structures.