151
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Gui Y, Yuan S. Epigenetic regulations in mammalian spermatogenesis: RNA-m 6A modification and beyond. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:4893-4905. [PMID: 33835194 PMCID: PMC11073063 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03823-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Emerging evidence shows that m6A, one of the most abundant RNA modifications in mammals, is involved in the entire process of spermatogenesis, including mitosis, meiosis, and spermiogenesis. "Writers" catalyze m6A formation on stage-specific transcripts during male germline development, while "erasers" remove m6A modification to maintain a balance between methylation and demethylation. The different functions of RNA-m6A transcripts depend on their recognition by "readers". m6A modification mediates RNA metabolism, including mRNA splicing, translation, and degradation, as well as the maturity and biosynthesis of non-coding RNAs. Sperm RNA profiles are easily affected by environmental exposure and can even be inherited for several generations, similar to epigenetic inheritance. Here, we review and summarize the critical role of m6A in different developmental stages of male germ cells, to understand of the mechanisms and epigenetic regulation of m6A modifications. In addition, we also outline and discuss the important role of non-coding RNAs in spermatogenesis and RNA modifications in epigenetic inheritance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqian Gui
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Shuiqiao Yuan
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
- Shenzhen Huazhong University of Science and Technology Research Institute, Shenzhen, 518057, China.
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152
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Lü X, Fan Y, Kang S, Xiao B, Zhang M. RNA methylation and neurovascular unit remodeling. ZHONG NAN DA XUE XUE BAO. YI XUE BAN = JOURNAL OF CENTRAL SOUTH UNIVERSITY. MEDICAL SCIENCES 2021; 46:536-544. [PMID: 34148891 PMCID: PMC10930208 DOI: 10.11817/j.issn.1672-7347.2021.200246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
RNA methylation is of great significance in the regulation of gene expression, among which the more important methylation modifiers are N6-methyladenosine (m6A) and 5-methylcytosine (m5C). The methylation process is mainly regulated by 3 kinds of proteins: methyltransferase, demethylase, and reader. m6A, m5C, and their related proteins have high abundance in the brain, and they have important roles in the development of the nervous system and the repair and remodeling of the vascular system. The neurovascular unit (NVU) is a unit of brain structure and function composed of neurons, capillaries, astrocytes, supporting cells, and extracellular matrix. The local microenvironment for NVU has an important role in nerve cell function repair, and the remodeling of NVU is of great significance in the prognosis of various neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Lü
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China.
| | - Yishu Fan
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Shuntong Kang
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Bo Xiao
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Mengqi Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China.
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153
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The m 6A-epitranscriptome in brain plasticity, learning and memory. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2021; 125:110-121. [PMID: 34053866 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Activity-dependent gene expression and protein translation underlie the ability of neurons to dynamically adjust their synaptic strength in response to sensory experience and during learning. The emerging field of epitranscriptomics (RNA modifications) has rapidly shifted our views on the mechanisms that regulate gene expression. Among hundreds of biochemical modifications on RNA, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant reversible mRNA modification in the brain. Its dynamic nature and ability to regulate all aspects of mRNA processing have positioned m6A as an important and versatile regulator of nervous system functions, including neuronal plasticity, learning and memory. In this review, we summarise recent experimental evidence that supports the role of m6A signalling in learning and memory, as well as providing an overview of the underlying molecular mechanisms in neurons. We also discuss the consequences of perturbed m6A signalling and/or its regulatory networks which are increasingly being linked to various cognitive disorders in humans.
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154
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Zhang SY, Zhang SW, Zhang T, Fan XN, Meng J. Recent advances in functional annotation and prediction of the epitranscriptome. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 19:3015-3026. [PMID: 34136099 PMCID: PMC8175281 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.05.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 05/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA modifications, in particular N6-methyladenosine (m6A), participate in every stages of RNA metabolism and play diverse roles in essential biological processes and disease pathogenesis. Thanks to the advances in sequencing technology, tens of thousands of RNA modification sites can be identified in a typical high-throughput experiment; however, it remains a major challenge to decipher the functional relevance of these sites, such as, affecting alternative splicing, regulation circuit in essential biological processes or association to diseases. As the focus of RNA epigenetics gradually shifts from site discovery to functional studies, we review here recent progress in functional annotation and prediction of RNA modification sites from a bioinformatics perspective. The review covers naïve annotation with associated biological events, e.g., single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), RNA binding protein (RBP) and alternative splicing, prediction of key sites and their regulatory functions, inference of disease association, and mining the diagnosis and prognosis value of RNA modification regulators. We further discussed the limitations of existing approaches and some future perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song-Yao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Information Fusion Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Automation, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
| | - Shao-Wu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Information Fusion Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Automation, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
| | - Teng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Information Fusion Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Automation, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
| | - Xiao-Nan Fan
- Key Laboratory of Information Fusion Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Automation, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
| | - Jia Meng
- Department of Biological Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, China
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155
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Zhang Y, Wang Y, Ying L, Tao S, Shi M, Lin P, Wang Y, Han B. Regulatory Role of N6-methyladenosine (m 6A) Modification in Osteosarcoma. Front Oncol 2021; 11:683768. [PMID: 34094986 PMCID: PMC8170137 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.683768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone malignancy, typically occurring in childhood or adolescence. Unfortunately, the clinical outcomes of patients with osteosarcoma are usually poor because of the aggressive nature of this disease and few treatment advances in the past four decades. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is one of the most extensive forms of RNA modification in eukaryotes found both in coding and non-coding RNAs. Accumulating evidence suggests that m6A-related factors are dysregulated in multiple osteosarcoma processes. In this review, we highlight m6A modification implicated in osteosarcoma, describing its pathophysiological role and molecular mechanism, as well as future research trends and potential clinical application in osteosarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujie Zhang
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yanyan Wang
- Department of Oncology Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Liwei Ying
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Sifeng Tao
- Department of Oncology Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mingmin Shi
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Peng Lin
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yangxin Wang
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bin Han
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
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156
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Zhang SY, Zhang SW, Tang Y, Fan XN, Meng J. Funm6AViewer: a web server and R package for functional analysis of context-specific m6A RNA methylation. Bioinformatics 2021; 37:4277-4279. [PMID: 33974000 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btab362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant mammalian mRNA methylation with versatile functions. To date, although a number of bioinformatics tools have been developed for location discovery of m6A modification, functional understanding is still quite limited. As the focus of RNA epigenetics gradually shifts from site discovery to functional studies, there is an urgent need for user-friendly tools to identify and explore the functional relevance of context-specific m6A methylation to gain insights into the epitranscriptome layer of gene expression regulation. RESULTS We introduced here Funm6AViewer, a novel platform to identify, prioritize, and visualize the functional gene interaction networks mediated by dynamic m6A RNA methylation unveiled from a case control study. By taking the differential RNA methylation (DM) data and differential gene expression (DE) data, both of which can be inferred from the widely used MeRIP-seq data, as the inputs, Funm6AViewer enables a series of analysis, including: (1) examining the distribution of differential m6A sites, (2) prioritizing the genes mediated by dynamic m6A methylation, and (3) characterizing functionally the gene regulatory networks mediated by condition-specific m6A RNA methylation. Funm6AViewer should effectively facilitate the understanding of the epitranscriptome circuitry mediated by this reversible RNA modification. Funm6AViewer is available both as a convenient web server (https://www.xjtlu.edu.cn/biologicalsciences/funm6aviewer) with graphical interface and as an independent R package (https://github.com/NWPU-903PR/Funm6AViewer) for local usage. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song-Yao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Information Fusion Technology of Ministry of Education, Department of intelligent science and technology, School of Automation, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xı´an 710072, China
| | - Shao-Wu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Information Fusion Technology of Ministry of Education, Department of intelligent science and technology, School of Automation, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xı´an 710072, China
| | - Yujiao Tang
- Department of Biological Sciences.,Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L7 8TX, UK
| | - Xiao-Nan Fan
- Key Laboratory of Information Fusion Technology of Ministry of Education, Department of intelligent science and technology, School of Automation, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xı´an 710072, China
| | - Jia Meng
- Department of Biological Sciences.,AI University Center, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China.,Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L7 8TX, UK
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157
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Kumari N, Karmakar A, Ahamad Khan MM, Ganesan SK. The potential role of m6A RNA methylation in diabetic retinopathy. Exp Eye Res 2021; 208:108616. [PMID: 33979630 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2021.108616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Diabetic retinopathy (DR), a major microvascular complication of diabetes, affects most diabetic individuals and has become the leading cause of vision loss. Metabolic memory associated with diabetes retains the risk of disease occurrence even after the termination of glycemic insult. Further, various limitations associated with its current diagnostic and treatment strategies like unavailability of early diagnostic and treatment methods, variation in treatment response from patient to patient, and cost-effectiveness have driven the need to find alternative solutions. Post-transcriptional epigenetic modification of RNA mainly, N6-methyladenosine (m6A), is an emerging concept in the scientific community. It has an indispensable effect in various physiological and pathological conditions. m6A mediates its effect through the various reader, writer, and eraser proteins. Recent studies have shown the impact of m6A RNA modification on various disease conditions, including diabetes, but its role in diabetic retinopathy is still unclear. However, change in m6A levels has been observed in various prime aggravators of DR pathogenesis, such as inflammation, oxidative stress, and angiogenesis. Further, various non-coding RNAs like microRNA, lncRNA, and circRNA are also associated with DR, and m6A has been shown to affect all these non-coding RNAs. This review is concerned with the possible mechanisms through which alteration in m6A modification of RNA can participate in the DR progression and pathogenesis and its expected role in metabolic memory phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nidhi Kumari
- Department of Structural Biology & Bioinformatics, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India; CSIR-IICB Translational Research Unit of Excellence (TRUE), Kolkata, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Aditi Karmakar
- Department of Structural Biology & Bioinformatics, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India; CSIR-IICB Translational Research Unit of Excellence (TRUE), Kolkata, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Md Maqsood Ahamad Khan
- Centre of Bioinformatics, Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, University of Allahabad, Prayagraj, India
| | - Senthil Kumar Ganesan
- Department of Structural Biology & Bioinformatics, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India; CSIR-IICB Translational Research Unit of Excellence (TRUE), Kolkata, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India.
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158
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Jing R, Ma B, Qi T, Hu C, Liao C, Wen C, Shao Y, Pei C. Long Noncoding RNA OIP5-AS1 Promotes Cell Apoptosis and Cataract Formation by Blocking POLG Expression Under Oxidative Stress. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2021; 61:3. [PMID: 33006594 PMCID: PMC7545078 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.61.12.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Cataract, a clouding of the intraocular lens, is the leading cause of blindness. The lens-expressed long noncoding RNA OIP5-AS1 was upregulated in lens epithelial cells from patients with cataracts, suggesting its pathogenic role in cataracts. We investigated the regulatory role of OIP5-AS1 in the development of cataracts as well as potential RNA binding proteins, downstream target genes, and upstream transcription factors. Methods Clinical capsules and ex vivo and in vitro cataract models were used to test OIP5-AS1 expression. Cell apoptosis was detected using Western blots, JC-1 staining, and flow cytometry. Ribonucleoprotein immunoprecipitation-qPCR was performed to confirm the interaction of OIP5-AS1 and POLG. Chromatin immunoprecipitation-qPCR was used to determine the binding of TFAP2A and the OIP5-AS1 promoter region. Results OIP5-AS1 was upregulated in cataract lenses and B3 cells under oxidative stress. OIP5-AS1 knockdown protected B3 cells from H2O2-induced apoptosis and alleviated lens opacity in the ex vivo cataract model. HuR functioned as a scaffold carrying OIP5-AS1 and POLG mRNA and mediated the decay of POLG mRNA. POLG was downregulated in the cataract lens and oxidative-stressed B3 cells, and POLG depletion decreased the mtDNA copy number and MMP, increased reactive oxygen species production, and sensitized B3 cells to oxidative stress-induced apoptosis. POLG overexpression reversed these effects. TFAP2A bound the OIP5-AS1 promoter and contributed to OIP5-AS1 expression. Conclusions We demonstrated that OIP5-AS1, activated by TFAP2A, contributed to cataract formation by inhibiting POLG expression mediated by HuR, thus leading to increased apoptosis of lens epithelial cells and aggravated lens opacity, suggesting that OIP5-AS1 is a potential target for cataract treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruihua Jing
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Bo Ma
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Tiantian Qi
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Conghui Hu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Chongbing Liao
- Center for Translational Medicine, Frontier Institute of Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Chan Wen
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yongping Shao
- Center for Translational Medicine, Frontier Institute of Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Cheng Pei
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
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159
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Dong S, Wu Y, Liu Y, Weng H, Huang H. N 6 -methyladenosine Steers RNA Metabolism and Regulation in Cancer. Cancer Commun (Lond) 2021; 41:538-559. [PMID: 33955720 PMCID: PMC8286143 DOI: 10.1002/cac2.12161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
As one of the most studied ribonucleic acid (RNA) modifications in eukaryotes, N6 -methyladenosine (m6 A) has been shown to play a predominant role in controlling gene expression and influence physiological and pathological processes such as oncogenesis and tumor progression. Writer and eraser proteins, acting opposite to deposit and remove m6 A epigenetic marks, respectively, shape the cellular m6 A landscape, while reader proteins preferentially recognize m6 A modifications and mediate fate decision of the methylated RNAs, including RNA synthesis, splicing, exportation, translation, and stability. Therefore, RNA metabolism in cells is greatly influenced by these three classes of m6 A regulators. Aberrant expression of m6 A regulators has been widely reported in various types of cancer, leading to cancer initiation, progression, and drug resistance. The close links between m6 A and cancer shed light on the potential use of m6 A methylation and its regulators as prognostic biomarkers and drug targets for cancer therapy. Given the notable effects of m6 A in reversing chemoresistance and enhancing immune therapy, it is a promising target for combined therapy. Herein, we summarize the recent discoveries on m6 A and its regulators, emphasizing their influences on RNA metabolism, their dysregulation and impacts in diverse malignancies, and discuss the clinical implications of m6 A modification in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shenghua Dong
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, P. R. China
| | - Yutong Wu
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, P. R. China
| | - Yadi Liu
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, P. R. China
| | - Hengyou Weng
- Bioland Laboratory, Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, 510005, P. R. China
| | - Huilin Huang
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, P. R. China
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160
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Kumari R, Ranjan P, Suleiman ZG, Goswami SK, Li J, Prasad R, Verma SK. mRNA modifications in cardiovascular biology and disease: with a focus on m6A modification. Cardiovasc Res 2021; 118:1680-1692. [PMID: 33956076 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvab160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Among several known RNA modifications, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most studied RNA epitranscriptomic modification and controls multiple cellular functions during development, differentiation, and disease. Current research advancements have made it possible to examine the regulatory mechanisms associated with RNA methylation and reveal its functional consequences in the pathobiology of many diseases, including heart failure. m6A methylation has been described both on coding (mRNA) and non-coding RNA species including rRNA, tRNA, small nuclear RNA and circular RNAs. The protein components which catalyze the m6A methylation are termed methyltransferase or "m6A writers." The family of proteins that recognize this methylation are termed "m6A readers" and finally the enzymes involved in the removal of a methyl group from RNA are known as demethylases or "m6A erasers." At the cellular level, different components of methylation machinery are tightly regulated by many factors to maintain the m6A methylation dynamics. The m6A methylation process impacts different stages of mRNA metabolism and the biogenesis of long non-coding RNA and miRNA. Although, mRNA methylation was initially described in the 1970s, its regulatory roles in various diseases, including cardiovascular diseases are broadly unexplored. Recent investigations suggest the important role of m6A mRNA methylation in both hypertrophic and ischemic heart diseases. In the present review, we evaluate the significance of m6A methylation in the cardiovascular system, in cardiac homeostasis and disease, all of which may help to improve therapeutic intervention for the treatment of heart failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajesh Kumari
- Division of Cardiovascular Disease, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Prabhat Ranjan
- Division of Cardiovascular Disease, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Zainab Gbongbo Suleiman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Sumanta Kumar Goswami
- Division of Cardiovascular Disease, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Jing Li
- Division of Cardiovascular Disease, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Ram Prasad
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Suresh Kumar Verma
- Division of Cardiovascular Disease, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
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161
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Wu J, Cai Y, Zhao G, Li M. A ten N6-methyladenosine-related long non-coding RNAs signature predicts prognosis of triple-negative breast cancer. J Clin Lab Anal 2021; 35:e23779. [PMID: 33934391 PMCID: PMC8183938 DOI: 10.1002/jcla.23779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Patients with triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) face a major challenge of the poor prognosis, and N6‐methyladenosine‐(m6A) mediated regulation in cancer has been proposed. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the prognostic roles of m6A‐related long non‐coding RNAs (LncRNAs) in TNBC. Methods Clinical information and expression data of TNBC samples were collected from TCGA and GEO databases. Pearson correlation, univariate, and multivariate Cox regression analysis were employed to identify independent prognostic m6A‐related LncRNAs to construct the prognostic score (PS) risk model. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the performance of PS risk model. A competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network was established for the functional analysis on targeted mRNAs. Results We identified 10 independent prognostic m6A‐related LncRNAs (SAMD12‐AS1, BVES‐AS1, LINC00593, MIR205HG, LINC00571, ANKRD10‐IT1, CIRBP‐AS1, SUCLG2‐AS1, BLACAT1, and HOXB‐AS1) and established a PS risk model accordingly. Relevant results suggested that TNBC patients with lower PS had better overall survival status, and ROC curves proved that the PS model had better prognostic abilities with the AUC of 0.997 and 0.864 in TCGA and GSE76250 datasets, respectively. Recurrence and PS model status were defined as independent prognostic factors of TNBC. These ten LncRNAs were all differentially expressed in high‐risk TNBC compared with controls. The ceRNA network revealed the regulatory axes for nine key LncRNAs, and mRNAs in the network were identified to function in pathways of cell communication, signaling transduction and cancer. Conclusion Our findings proposed a ten‐m6A‐related LncRNAs as potential biomarkers to predict the prognostic risk of TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Wu
- Key Laboratory of Hydrodynamics (Ministry of Education), School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Cai
- School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Gaiping Zhao
- School of Medical Instrument and Food Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Maolan Li
- Shanghai Research Center of Biliary Tract Disease, Shanghai, China
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162
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METTL3 enhances the stability of MALAT1 with the assistance of HuR via m6A modification and activates NF-κB to promote the malignant progression of IDH-wildtype glioma. Cancer Lett 2021; 511:36-46. [PMID: 33933553 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2021.04.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the role of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) in tumorigenesis and stem cell maintenance is an emerging field in glioma research. However, it is necessary to study the function of m6A in IDH-mutation and IDH-wildtype gliomas separately. Here, we aimed to elucidate the role and mechanism of the m6A writer METTL3 in regulating the malignant progression of IDH-wildtype gliomas. We demonstrated that METTL3 expression is positively associated with a higher malignant grade and poorer prognosis of IDH-wildtype gliomas but not IDH-mutant gliomas. METTL3 could also promote the malignant progression of gliomas in both in vitro and in vivo models. Mechanistically, METTL3 upregulated MALAT1 expression by enhancing its stability via m6A modification. We further revealed that HuR was essential for METTL3-mediated MALAT1 stabilization, and upregulated MALAT1 subsequently activated NF-κB. Taken together, our findings confirmed that METTL3 promoted the malignant progression of IDH-wildtype gliomas and revealed important insight into the upstream regulatory mechanism of MALAT1 and NF-κB with a primary focus on m6A modification.
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163
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Tan F, Zhao M, Xiong F, Wang Y, Zhang S, Gong Z, Li X, He Y, Shi L, Wang F, Xiang B, Zhou M, Li X, Li Y, Li G, Zeng Z, Xiong W, Guo C. N6-methyladenosine-dependent signalling in cancer progression and insights into cancer therapies. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2021; 40:146. [PMID: 33926508 PMCID: PMC8082653 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-021-01952-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is a dynamic and reversible epigenetic modification, which is co-transcriptionally deposited by a methyltransferase complex, removed by a demethylase, and recognized by reader proteins. Mechanistically, m6A modification regulates the expression levels of mRNA and nocoding RNA by modulating the fate of modified RNA molecules, such as RNA splicing, nuclear transport, translation, and stability. Several studies have shown that m6A modification is dysregulated in the progression of multiple diseases, especially human tumors. We emphasized that the dysregulation of m6A modification affects different signal transduction pathways and involves in the biological processes underlying tumor cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion and migration, and metabolic reprogramming, and discuss the effects on different cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenghua Tan
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Mengyao Zhao
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Fang Xiong
- Department of Stomatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yumin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Stomatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Shanshan Zhang
- Department of Stomatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhaojian Gong
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xiayu Li
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, Disease Genome Research Center, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yi He
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Lei Shi
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Fuyan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Bo Xiang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Ming Zhou
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xiaoling Li
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yong Li
- Department of Medicine, Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Guiyuan Li
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhaoyang Zeng
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Wei Xiong
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China. .,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, China.
| | - Can Guo
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China. .,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, China.
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164
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Xu S, Xu X, Zhang Z, Yan L, Zhang L, Du L. The role of RNA m 6A methylation in the regulation of postnatal hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension. Respir Res 2021; 22:121. [PMID: 33902609 PMCID: PMC8074209 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-021-01728-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a complex pulmonary vascular disease characterized by an imbalance in vasoconstrictor/vasodilator signaling within the pulmonary vasculature. Recent evidence suggests that exposure to hypoxia early in life can cause alterations in the pulmonary vasculature and lead to the development of PH. However, the long-term impact of postnatal hypoxia on lung development and pulmonary function remains unknown. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) regulates gene expression and governs many important biological processes. However, the function of m6A in the development of PH remains poorly characterized. Thus, the purpose of this investigation was to test the two-fold hypothesis that (1) postnatal exposure to hypoxia would alter lung development leading to PH in adult rats, and (2) m6A modification would change in rats exposed to hypoxia, suggesting it plays a role in the development of PH. METHODS Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to a hypoxic environment (FiO2: 12%) within 24 h after birth for 2 weeks. PH was defined as an increased right ventricular pressure (RVP) and pathologic changes of pulmonary vasculature measured by α-SMA immunohistochemical staining. Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP-seq) was performed to analyze m6A modification changes in lung tissue in 2- and 9-week-old rats that were exposed to postnatal hypoxia. RESULTS Mean pulmonary arterial pressure, lung/body weight ratio, and the Fulton index was significantly greater in rats exposed to hypoxia when compared to control and the difference persisted into adulthood. m6A methyltransferase and demethylase proteins were significantly downregulated in postnatal hypoxia-induced PH. Distinct m6A modification peak-related genes differed between the two groups, and these genes were associated with lung development. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate postnatal hypoxia can cause PH, which can persist into adulthood. The development and persistence of PH may be because of the continuous low expression of methyltransferase like 3 affecting the m6A level of PH-related genes. Our findings provide new insights into the impact of postnatal hypoxia and the role of m6A in the development of pulmonary vascular pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Xu
- Department of Neonatology, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuefeng Xu
- Department of Rheumatology, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, People's Republic of China
| | - Ziming Zhang
- Department of Neonatology, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, People's Republic of China
| | - Lingling Yan
- Department of Neonatology, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, People's Republic of China
| | - Liyan Zhang
- Fuzhou Children Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350005, People's Republic of China
| | - Lizhong Du
- Department of Neonatology, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, People's Republic of China.
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165
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Gu Y, Wu X, Zhang J, Fang Y, Pan Y, Shu Y, Ma P. The evolving landscape of N 6-methyladenosine modification in the tumor microenvironment. Mol Ther 2021; 29:1703-1715. [PMID: 33839323 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2021.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME), controlled by intrinsic mechanisms of carcinogenesis and epigenetic modifications, has, in recent years, become a heavily researched topic. The TME can be described in terms of hypoxia, metabolic dysregulation, immune escape, and chronic inflammation. RNA methylation, an epigenetic modification, has recently been found to have a pivotal role in shaping the TME. The N6-methylation of adenosine (m6A) modification is the most common type of RNA methylation that occurs in the N6-position of adenosine, which is the primary internal modification of eukaryotic mRNA. Compelling evidence has demonstrated that m6A regulates transcriptional and protein expression through splicing, translation, degradation, and export, thereby mediating the biological processes of cancer cells and/or stromal cells and characterizing the TME. The TME also has a crucial role in the complicated regulatory network of m6A modifications and, subsequently, influences tumor initiation, progression, and therapy responses. In this review, we describe the features of the TME and how the m6A modification modulates and interacts with it. We also focus on various factors and pathways involved in m6A methylation. Finally, we discuss potential therapeutic strategies and prognostic biomarkers with respect to the TME and m6A modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunru Gu
- Department of Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, People's Republic of China
| | - Xi Wu
- Department of Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingxin Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang Clinic School of Nanjing Medical University, Zhenjiang 212002, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuan Fang
- Department of Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, People's Republic of China
| | - Yutian Pan
- Department of Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, People's Republic of China
| | - Yongqian Shu
- Department of Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, People's Republic of China; Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, People's Republic of China.
| | - Pei Ma
- Department of Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, People's Republic of China.
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166
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Destefanis E, Avşar G, Groza P, Romitelli A, Torrini S, Pir P, Conticello SG, Aguilo F, Dassi E. A mark of disease: how mRNA modifications shape genetic and acquired pathologies. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2021; 27:367-389. [PMID: 33376192 PMCID: PMC7962492 DOI: 10.1261/rna.077271.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
RNA modifications have recently emerged as a widespread and complex facet of gene expression regulation. Counting more than 170 distinct chemical modifications with far-reaching implications for RNA fate, they are collectively referred to as the epitranscriptome. These modifications can occur in all RNA species, including messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs). In mRNAs the deposition, removal, and recognition of chemical marks by writers, erasers and readers influence their structure, localization, stability, and translation. In turn, this modulates key molecular and cellular processes such as RNA metabolism, cell cycle, apoptosis, and others. Unsurprisingly, given their relevance for cellular and organismal functions, alterations of epitranscriptomic marks have been observed in a broad range of human diseases, including cancer, neurological and metabolic disorders. Here, we will review the major types of mRNA modifications and editing processes in conjunction with the enzymes involved in their metabolism and describe their impact on human diseases. We present the current knowledge in an updated catalog. We will also discuss the emerging evidence on the crosstalk of epitranscriptomic marks and what this interplay could imply for the dynamics of mRNA modifications. Understanding how this complex regulatory layer can affect the course of human pathologies will ultimately lead to its exploitation toward novel epitranscriptomic therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliana Destefanis
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy
- The EPITRAN COST Action Consortium, COST Action CA16120
| | - Gülben Avşar
- The EPITRAN COST Action Consortium, COST Action CA16120
- Department of Bioengineering, Gebze Technical University, 41400 Kocaeli, Turkey
| | - Paula Groza
- The EPITRAN COST Action Consortium, COST Action CA16120
- Department of Medical Biosciences, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
- Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Antonia Romitelli
- The EPITRAN COST Action Consortium, COST Action CA16120
- Core Research Laboratory, ISPRO-Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Clinical Network, 50139 Firenze, Italy
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, Università di Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Serena Torrini
- The EPITRAN COST Action Consortium, COST Action CA16120
- Core Research Laboratory, ISPRO-Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Clinical Network, 50139 Firenze, Italy
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, Università di Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Pınar Pir
- The EPITRAN COST Action Consortium, COST Action CA16120
- Department of Bioengineering, Gebze Technical University, 41400 Kocaeli, Turkey
| | - Silvestro G Conticello
- The EPITRAN COST Action Consortium, COST Action CA16120
- Core Research Laboratory, ISPRO-Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Clinical Network, 50139 Firenze, Italy
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesca Aguilo
- The EPITRAN COST Action Consortium, COST Action CA16120
- Department of Medical Biosciences, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
- Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Erik Dassi
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy
- The EPITRAN COST Action Consortium, COST Action CA16120
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167
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Shi R, Ying S, Li Y, Zhu L, Wang X, Jin H. Linking the YTH domain to cancer: the importance of YTH family proteins in epigenetics. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:346. [PMID: 33795663 PMCID: PMC8016981 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-03625-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2020] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A), the most prevalent and reversible modification of mRNA in mammalian cells, has recently been extensively studied in epigenetic regulation. YTH family proteins, whose YTH domain can recognize and bind m6A-containing RNA, are the main "readers" of m6A modification. YTH family proteins perform different functions to determine the metabolic fate of m6A-modified RNA. The crystal structure of the YTH domain has been completely resolved, highlighting the important roles of several conserved residues of the YTH domain in the specific recognition of m6A-modified RNAs. Upstream and downstream targets have been successively revealed in different cancer types and the role of YTH family proteins has been emphasized in m6A research. This review describes the regulation of RNAs by YTH family proteins, the structural features of the YTH domain, and the connections of YTH family proteins with human cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongkai Shi
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XLaboratory of Cancer Biology, Key Lab of Biotherapy in Zhejiang, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shilong Ying
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XLaboratory of Cancer Biology, Key Lab of Biotherapy in Zhejiang, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yadan Li
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XLaboratory of Cancer Biology, Key Lab of Biotherapy in Zhejiang, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Liyuan Zhu
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XLaboratory of Cancer Biology, Key Lab of Biotherapy in Zhejiang, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xian Wang
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XDepartment of Medical Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Medical School of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hongchuan Jin
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XLaboratory of Cancer Biology, Key Lab of Biotherapy in Zhejiang, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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168
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Singh B, Sarli VN, Lucci A. Inhibition of resistant triple-negative breast cancer cells with low-dose 6-mercaptopurine and 5-azacitidine. Oncotarget 2021; 12:626-637. [PMID: 33868584 PMCID: PMC8021029 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.27922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Highly adaptable breast cancer cells that can opportunistically switch between proliferation and quiescence are often responsible for disease relapse. We have developed a function-based selection strategy for such resistant cells, exemplified by SUM149-MA and FC-IBC02-MA triple-negative breast cancer cells. We have also reported that a lengthy treatment with low-dose 6-mercaptopurine, a clinically useful anti-inflammatory drug, inhibits such resistant cells. To more rigorously test the clinical suitability of 6-mercaptopurine, here we investigated effects of further lowering its dose and the possibility of overcoming resistance to single-drug treatment by combining the drug with another ribonucleoside analog 5-azacitidine. We found that that a lengthy treatment with 1 μM 5-azacitidine, without a significant effect on cell proliferation, sensitized cancer cells to the inhibitory effects of low-dose 6-mercaptopurine. Importantly, treatment for several weeks with low doses of 6-mercaptopurine and/or 5-azacitidine did not render cancer cells resistant to chemotherapeutic drugs doxorubicin or paclitaxel. In fact, the cells became more sensitive to chemotherapeutic drugs upon treatment with 6-mercaptopurine and/or 5-azacitidine. Our analyses of protein markers of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition indicated that treatments with 6-mercaptopurine and/or 5-azacitidine do not significantly reverse this process in our model. Our results showed that safe drugs such as low-dose 6-mercaptopurine singly or combined with 5-azacitidine, which are suitable for use prior to disease relapse, have a potential of inhibiting highly resistant triple-negative breast cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Balraj Singh
- Department of Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.,Morgan Welch Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Program and Clinic, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Vanessa N Sarli
- Department of Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.,Morgan Welch Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Program and Clinic, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Anthony Lucci
- Department of Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.,Morgan Welch Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Program and Clinic, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
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169
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m6A-dependent up-regulation of DRG1 by METTL3 and ELAVL1 promotes growth, migration, and colony formation in osteosarcoma. Biosci Rep 2021; 40:222601. [PMID: 32266933 PMCID: PMC7178206 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20200282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Osteosarcoma (OS) is a malignant tumor commonly observed in children and adolescents. Developmentally regulated GTP-binding protein (DRG) 1 plays an important role in embryonic development; aberrantly expressed DRG1 has been associated with pathological processes in cancer. The present study aimed to explore the role of DRG1 in OS and the mechanisms underlying DRG1 overexpression in OS. Clinical studies were performed to evaluate Drg1 expression in OS tissues and to identify a correlation between Drg1 expression and the clinicopathological features in patients with OS. Drg1 was knocked down in OS cells to determine its effects on cell viability, cell cycle distribution, apoptosis, migration, invasion, and colony formation rate. METTL3 and ELAVL1 were also silenced to determine their effects on the levels of N6-methyladenosine (m6A), RNA stability, and Drg1 expression. Higher levels of Drg1 mRNA and protein were observed in OS tissues than those in paracancerous tissues. High expression of DRG1 was associated with large tumor size and advanced clinical stages in OS. Silencing of Drg1 resulted in decreased viability and inhibition of the migration and colony formation abilities of OS cells; it also resulted in cell cycle arrest in the G2/M stage and induced apoptosis. Knockdown of METTL3 led to decreased m6A and Drg1 mRNA levels. ELAVL1 knockdown impaired the stability of DRG1 mRNA, thereby reducing both the mRNA and protein levels of DRG1. In all, DRG1 exerted tumorigenic effects in OS, and the up-regulation of DRG1 in OS was induced by METTL3 and ELAVL1 in an m6A-dependent manner.
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170
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Yang C, Zhao K, Zhang J, Wu X, Sun W, Kong X, Shi J. Comprehensive Analysis of the Transcriptome-Wide m6A Methylome of Heart via MeRIP After Birth: Day 0 vs. Day 7. Front Cardiovasc Med 2021; 8:633631. [PMID: 33829047 PMCID: PMC8019948 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2021.633631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: To systematically classify the profile of the RNA m6A modification landscape of neonatal heart regeneration. Materials and Methods: Cardiomyocyte proliferation markers were detected via immunostaining. The expression of m6A modification regulators was detected using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and Western blotting. Genome-wide profiling of methylation-modified transcripts was conducted with methylation-modified RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (m6A-RIP-seq) and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). The Gene Expression Omnibus database (GEO) dataset was used to verify the hub genes. Results: METTL3 and the level of m6A modification in total RNA was lower in P7 rat hearts than in P0 ones. In all, 1,637 methylation peaks were differentially expressed using m6A-RIP-seq, with 84 upregulated and 1,553 downregulated. Furthermore, conjoint analyses of m6A-RIP-seq, RNA-seq, and GEO data generated eight potential hub genes with differentially expressed hypermethylated or hypomethylated m6A levels. Conclusion: Our data provided novel information on m6A modification changes between Day 0 and Day 7 cardiomyocytes, which identified that increased METTL3 expression may enhance the proliferative capacity of neonatal cardiomyocytes, providing a theoretical basis for future clinical studies on the direct regulation of m6A in the proliferative capacity of cardiomyocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuanxi Yang
- Department of Cardiology, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Kun Zhao
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaoguang Wu
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wei Sun
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiangqing Kong
- Department of Cardiology, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, China.,Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jing Shi
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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171
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Cai Y, Wu G, Peng B, Li J, Zeng S, Yan Y, Xu Z. Expression and molecular profiles of the AlkB family in ovarian serous carcinoma. Aging (Albany NY) 2021; 13:9679-9692. [PMID: 33744868 PMCID: PMC8064172 DOI: 10.18632/aging.202716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
AlkB family of Fe (II) and α-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases plays essential roles in development of ovarian serous carcinoma (OV). However, the molecular profiles of AlkB family in OV have not been clarified. The results indicated that the expression of ALKBH1/3/5/8 and FTO was lower in OV patients while ALKBH2/4/6/7 expression was higher. There was a strong correlation between ALKBH5/7 and pathological stage of OV patients. Kaplan-Meier plotter revealed that OV patients with high ALKBH4 level showed longer overall survival (OS). However, patients with high levels of ALKBH5/6 and FTO showed shorter OS and progression-free survival (PFS). Genetic alterations using cBioPortal revealed that the alteration rates of FTO were the highest. We also found that the functions of AlkB family were linked to several cancer-associated signaling pathways, including chemokine receptor signaling. TIMER database indicated that the AlkB family had a strong relationship with the infiltration of six types of immune cells (macrophages, neutrophils, CD8+ T-cells, B-cells, CD4+ T-cells and dendritic cells). Next, DiseaseMeth databases revealed that the global methylation levels of ALKBH1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8 and FTO were all lower in OV patients. Thus, our findings will enhance the understanding of AlkB family in OV pathology, and provide novel insights into AlkB-targeted therapy for OV patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Cai
- Department of Pathology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Geting Wu
- Department of Pathology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Bi Peng
- Department of Pathology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Juanni Li
- Department of Pathology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Shuangshuang Zeng
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Yuanliang Yan
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Zhijie Xu
- Department of Pathology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China
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172
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Zhang X, Zhong L, Zou Z, Liang G, Tang Z, Li K, Tan S, Huang Y, Zhu X. Clinical and Prognostic Pan-Cancer Analysis of N6-Methyladenosine Regulators in Two Types of Hematological Malignancies: A Retrospective Study Based on TCGA and GTEx Databases. Front Oncol 2021; 11:623170. [PMID: 33816257 PMCID: PMC8015800 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.623170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is one of the most active modification factors of mRNA, which is closely related to cell proliferation, differentiation, and tumor development. Here, we explored the relationship between the pathogenesis of hematological malignancies and the clinicopathologic parameters. The datasets of hematological malignancies and controls were obtained from the TCGA [AML (n = 200), DLBCL (n = 48)] and GTEx [whole blood (n = 337), blood vascular artery (n = 606)]. We analyzed the m6A factor expression differences in normal tissue and tumor tissue and their correlations, clustered the express obvious clinical tumor subtypes, determined the tumor risk score, established Cox regression model, performed univariate and multivariate analysis on all datasets. We found that the AML patients with high expression of IGF2BP3, ALKBH5, and IGF2BP2 had poor survival, while the DLBCL patients with high expression of METTL14 had poor survival. In addition, "Total" datasets analysis revealed that IGF2BP1, ALKBH5, IGF2BP2, RBM15, METTL3, and ZNF217 were potential oncogenes for hematologic system tumors. Collectively, the expressions of some m6A regulators are closely related to the occurrence and development of hematologic system tumors, and the intervention of specific regulatory factors may lead to a breakthrough in the treatment in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangsheng Zhang
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute of Guangdong Zhanjiang, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Liye Zhong
- Department of Hematology, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhilin Zou
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute of Guangdong Zhanjiang, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute of Guangdong Zhanjiang, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Guosheng Liang
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute of Guangdong Zhanjiang, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Zhenye Tang
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute of Guangdong Zhanjiang, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Kai Li
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute of Guangdong Zhanjiang, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Shuzhen Tan
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute of Guangdong Zhanjiang, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Yongmei Huang
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute of Guangdong Zhanjiang, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhanjiang), Zhanjiang, China
- The Key Lab of Zhanjiang for R&D Marine Microbial Resources in the Beibu Gulf Rim, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Xiao Zhu
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute of Guangdong Zhanjiang, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute of Guangdong Zhanjiang, Zhanjiang, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhanjiang), Zhanjiang, China
- The Key Lab of Zhanjiang for R&D Marine Microbial Resources in the Beibu Gulf Rim, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
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173
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Bayoumi M, Munir M. Evolutionary conservation of the DRACH signatures of potential N6-methyladenosine (m 6A) sites among influenza A viruses. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4548. [PMID: 33633224 PMCID: PMC7907337 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84007-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The addition of a methyl group to the N6-position of adenosine (m6A) is considered one of the most prevalent internal post-transcriptional modifications and is attributed to virus replication and cell biology. Viral epitranscriptome sequencing analysis has revealed that hemagglutinin (HA) mRNA of H1N1 carry eight m6A sites which are primarily enriched in 5'-DRACH-3' sequence motif. Herein, a large-scale comparative m6A analysis was conducted to investigate the conservation patterns of the DRACH motifs that corresponding to the reference m6A sites among influenza A viruses. A total of 70,030 complete HA sequences that comprise all known HA subtypes (H1-18) collected over several years, countries, and affected host species were analysed on both mRNA and vRNA strands. The bioinformatic analysis revealed the highest degree of DRACHs conservation among all H1 sequences that clustered largely in the middle and in the vicinity to 3' end with at least four DRACH motifs were conserved in all mRNA sequences. The major HA-containing subtypes displayed a modest DRACH motif conservation located either in the middle region of HA transcript (H3) or at the 3' end (H5) or were distributed across the length of HA sequence (H9). The lowest conservation was demonstrated in HA subtypes that infect mostly the wild type avian species and bats. Interestingly, the total number and the conserved DRACH motifs in the vRNA were found to be much lower than those observed in the mRNA. Collectively, the identification of putative m6A topology provides a foundation for the future intervention of influenza infection, replication, and pathobiology in susceptible hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmoud Bayoumi
- grid.9835.70000 0000 8190 6402Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YG UK
| | - Muhammad Munir
- grid.9835.70000 0000 8190 6402Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YG UK
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174
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Ghasemi S, Xu S, Nabavi SM, Amirkhani MA, Sureda A, Tejada S, Lorigooini Z. Epigenetic targeting of cancer stem cells by polyphenols (cancer stem cells targeting). Phytother Res 2021; 35:3649-3664. [PMID: 33619811 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.7059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2020] [Revised: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetic alterations are one of the main factors that disrupt the expression of genes and consequently, they have an important role in the carcinogenicity and the progression of different cancers. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are accountable for the recurrence, metastasis, and therapeutic failure of cancer. The noticeable and specific pathways in CSCs can be organized by epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, chromatin remodeling, regulatory RNAs, among others. Since epigenetics modifications can be changed and reversed, it is a possible tool for cancer control and treatment. Epigenetic therapies against CSCs are emerging as a very new strategy with a good future expectation to treat cancer patients. Phenolic compounds are a vast group of substances with anticarcinogenic functions, antiinflammatory, and antioxidative activities. It seems these characteristics are related to neutralizing CSCs development, their microenvironment, and metabolism through epigenetic mechanisms. In the current work, the types of epigenetic changes known in these cells are introduced. In addition, some studies about the use of polyphenols acting through a variety of epigenetic mechanisms to counteract these cells will be reviewed. The reported results seem to indicate that the use of these phenolic compounds may be useful for CSCs defeat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sorayya Ghasemi
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.,Cancer Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
| | - Suowen Xu
- Aab Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Seyed Mohammad Nabavi
- Applied Biotechnology Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Amir Amirkhani
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Antoni Sureda
- Research Group on Community Nutrition and Oxidative Stress, University of Balearic Islands & Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), Palma de Mallorca, Spain.,CIBEROBN (Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Silvia Tejada
- CIBEROBN (Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Laboratory of neurophysiology. Biology Department, University of Balearic Islands & Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Zahra Lorigooini
- Medical Plants Research Center, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
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175
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Huff S, Tiwari SK, Gonzalez GM, Wang Y, Rana TM. m 6A-RNA Demethylase FTO Inhibitors Impair Self-Renewal in Glioblastoma Stem Cells. ACS Chem Biol 2021; 16:324-333. [PMID: 33412003 PMCID: PMC7901021 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.0c00841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
![]()
N6-methyladenosine (m6A)
has emerged as the most abundant mRNA modification that regulates
gene expression in many physiological processes. m6A modification
in RNA controls cellular proliferation and pluripotency and has been
implicated in the progression of multiple disease states, including
cancer. RNA m6A methylation is controlled by a multiprotein
“writer” complex including the enzymatic factor methyltransferase-like
protein 3 (METTL3) that regulates methylation and two “eraser”
proteins, RNA demethylase ALKBH5 (ALKBH5) and fat mass- and obesity-associated
protein (FTO), that demethylate m6A in transcripts. FTO
can also demethylate N6,2′-O-dimethyladenosine (m6Am), which
is found adjacent to the m7G cap structure in mRNA. FTO
has recently gained interest as a potential cancer target, and small
molecule FTO inhibitors such as meclofenamic acid have been shown
to prevent tumor progression in both acute myeloid leukemia and glioblastoma in vivo models. However, current FTO inhibitors are unsuitable
for clinical applications due to either poor target selectivity or
poor pharmacokinetics. In this work, we describe the structure-based
design, synthesis, and biochemical evaluation of a new class of FTO
inhibitors. Rational design of 20 small molecules with low micromolar
IC50’s and specificity toward FTO over ALKBH5 identified
two competitive inhibitors FTO-02 and FTO-04. Importantly, FTO-04
prevented neurosphere formation in patient-derived glioblastoma stem
cells (GSCs) without inhibiting the growth of healthy neural stem
cell-derived neurospheres. Finally, FTO-04 increased m6A and m6Am levels in GSCs consistent with FTO
inhibition. These results support FTO-04 as a potential new lead for
treatment of glioblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Huff
- Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Center for Drug Discovery Innovation, Program in Immunology, Institute for Genomic Medicine, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0762, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Shashi Kant Tiwari
- Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Center for Drug Discovery Innovation, Program in Immunology, Institute for Genomic Medicine, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0762, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Gwendolyn M. Gonzalez
- Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program and Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Yinsheng Wang
- Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program and Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Tariq M. Rana
- Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Center for Drug Discovery Innovation, Program in Immunology, Institute for Genomic Medicine, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0762, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- San Diego Center for Precision Immunotherapy, Moores Cancer Center, 3855 Health Sciences Drive, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
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176
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N 6-methyladenosine modification of MALAT1 promotes metastasis via reshaping nuclear speckles. Dev Cell 2021; 56:702-715.e8. [PMID: 33609462 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2021.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A), one of the most prevalent RNA post-transcriptional modifications, is involved in numerous biological processes. In previous studies, the functions of m6A were typically identified by perturbing the activity of the methyltransferase complex. Here, we dissect the contribution of m6A to an individual-long noncoding RNA-metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1). The mutant MALAT1 lacking m6A-motifs significantly suppressed the metastatic potential of cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo in mouse. Super-resolution imaging showed that the concatenated m6A residues on MALAT1 acted as a scaffold for recruiting YTH-domain-containing protein 1 (YTHDC1) to nuclear speckles. We further reveal that the recognition of MALAT1-m6A by YTHDC1 played a critical role in maintaining the composition and genomic binding sites of nuclear speckles, which regulate the expression of several key oncogenes. Furthermore, artificially tethering YTHDC1 onto m6A-deficient MALAT1 largely rescues the metastatic potential of cancer cells.
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177
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Identification of a New Prognostic Risk Signature of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Based on N 6-Methyladenosine RNA Methylation Regulators. J Immunol Res 2021; 2021:6617841. [PMID: 33628845 PMCID: PMC7895564 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6617841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
As the most prevalent internal eukaryotic modification, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is installed by methyltransferases, removed by demethylases, and recognized by readers. However, there are few studies on the role of m6A in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). In this study, we researched the RNA-seq transcriptome data of ccRCC in the TCGA dataset and used bioinformatics analyses to detect the relationship between m6A RNA methylation regulators and ccRCC. First, we compared the expression of 18 m6A RNA methylation regulators in ccRCC patients and normal tissues. Then, data from ccRCC patients were divided into two clusters by consensus clustering. LASSO Cox regression analysis was used to build a risk signature to predict the prognosis of patients with ccRCC. An ROC curve, univariate Cox regression analysis, and multivariate Cox regression analysis were used to verify this risk signature's predictive ability. Then, we internally validated this signature by random sampling. Finally, we explored the role of the genes in the signature in some common pathways. Gene distribution between the two subgroups was different; cluster 2 was gender-related and had a worse prognosis. IGF2BP3, IGF2BP2, HNRNPA2B1, and METTL14 were chosen to build the risk signature. The overall survival of the high- and low-risk groups was significantly different (p = 7.47e − 12). The ROC curve also indicated that the risk signature had a decent predictive significance (AUC = 0.72). These results imply that the risk signature has a potential value for ccRCC treatment.
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178
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Zhong J, Liu Z, Cai C, Duan X, Deng T, Zeng G. m 6A modification patterns and tumor immune landscape in clear cell renal carcinoma. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 9:jitc-2020-001646. [PMID: 33574053 PMCID: PMC7880120 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2020-001646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Recent studies have focused on the correlation between N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification and specific tumor-infiltrating immune cells. However, the potential roles of m6A modification in the tumor immune landscape remain elusive. Methods We comprehensively evaluated the m6A modification patterns and tumor immune landscape of 513 clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) patients, and correlated the m6A modification patterns with the immune landscape. The m6Ascore was established using principal component analysis. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to evaluate the prognostic value of the m6Ascore. Results We identified three m6Aclusters—characterized by differences in Th17 signature, extent of intratumor heterogeneity, overall cell proliferation, aneuploidy, expression of immunomodulatory genes, overall somatic copy number alterations, and prognosis. The m6Ascore was established to quantify the m6A modification pattern of individual ccRCC patients. Further analyses revealed that the m6Ascore was an independent prognostic factor of ccRCC. Finally, we verified the prognostic value of the m6Ascore in the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) blockade therapy of patients with advanced ccRCC. Conclusions This study demonstrated the correlation between m6A modification and the tumor immune landscape in ccRCC. The comprehensive evaluation of m6A modification patterns in individual ccRCC patients enhances our understanding of the tumor immune landscape and provides a new approach toward new and improved immunotherapeutic strategies for ccRCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiehui Zhong
- Department of Urology, Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Urology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zezhen Liu
- Department of Urology, Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Urology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Chao Cai
- Department of Urology, Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Urology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaolu Duan
- Department of Urology, Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Urology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Tuo Deng
- Department of Urology, Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Urology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Guohua Zeng
- Department of Urology, Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Urology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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179
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Li H, Wu H, Wang Q, Ning S, Xu S, Pang D. Dual effects of N 6-methyladenosine on cancer progression and immunotherapy. MOLECULAR THERAPY-NUCLEIC ACIDS 2021; 24:25-39. [PMID: 33738136 PMCID: PMC7933696 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2021.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
According to the latest global cancer statistics, cancer has become a major threat to human health, but cancer treatment has encountered many bottlenecks. As an emerging topic in epigenetics, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most common internal modification on eukaryotic mRNA, which has attracted increasing attention in recent years. Accumulating studies have shown that aberrant m6A modifications have profound effects on the characteristics of tumors, which undoubtedly led to a significant breakthrough in cancer treatment. Although m6A function as an oncogene or tumor suppressor is not fully revealed, determining its precise function in the development and evolution of malignant tumors is crucial in improving clinical decisions involving targeted therapies. In this review, we briefly introduce the composition of the m6A methylation machinery and mainly summarize the biological mechanism of m6A in cancer cell death, angiogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and therapeutic resistance. Subsequently, we present the exogenous regulatory factors of m6A and highlight the role of m6A on immune cells and cancer immunotherapy. The potential therapeutic strategies of m6A in human cancer are also discussed, considering research gaps and future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Li
- Harbin Medical University, 157 Baojian Road, Harbin 150086, China.,Department of Breast Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150 Haping Road, Harbin 150081, China.,Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, 157 Baojian Road, Harbin 150086, China
| | - Hao Wu
- Harbin Medical University, 157 Baojian Road, Harbin 150086, China.,Sino-Russian Medical Research Center, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150 Haping Road, Harbin 150081, China.,Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, 157 Baojian Road, Harbin 150086, China
| | - Qin Wang
- Harbin Medical University, 157 Baojian Road, Harbin 150086, China.,Sino-Russian Medical Research Center, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150 Haping Road, Harbin 150081, China.,Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, 157 Baojian Road, Harbin 150086, China
| | - Shipeng Ning
- Harbin Medical University, 157 Baojian Road, Harbin 150086, China.,Department of Breast Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150 Haping Road, Harbin 150081, China.,Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, 157 Baojian Road, Harbin 150086, China
| | - Shouping Xu
- Harbin Medical University, 157 Baojian Road, Harbin 150086, China.,Department of Breast Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150 Haping Road, Harbin 150081, China.,Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, 157 Baojian Road, Harbin 150086, China
| | - Da Pang
- Harbin Medical University, 157 Baojian Road, Harbin 150086, China.,Department of Breast Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150 Haping Road, Harbin 150081, China.,Sino-Russian Medical Research Center, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150 Haping Road, Harbin 150081, China.,Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, 157 Baojian Road, Harbin 150086, China
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180
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Dong L, Mao Y, Zhou A, Liu XM, Zhou J, Wan J, Qian SB. Relaxed initiation pausing of ribosomes drives oncogenic translation. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/8/eabd6927. [PMID: 33597240 PMCID: PMC7888950 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abd6927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Translation is a crucial process in cancer development and progression. Many oncogenic signaling pathways target the translation initiation stage to satisfy the increased anabolic demands of cancer cells. Using quantitative profiling of initiating ribosomes, we found that ribosomal pausing at the start codon serves as a "brake" to restrain the translational output. In response to oncogenic RAS signaling, the initiation pausing relaxes and contributes to the increased translational flux. Intriguingly, messenger RNA (mRNA) m6A modification in the vicinity of start codons influences the behavior of initiating ribosomes. Under oncogenic RAS signaling, the reduced mRNA methylation leads to relaxed initiation pausing, thereby promoting malignant transformation and tumor growth. Restored initiation pausing by inhibiting m6A demethylases suppresses RAS-mediated oncogenic translation and subsequent tumorigenesis. Our findings unveil a paradigm of translational control that is co-opted by RAS mutant cancer cells to drive malignant phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leiming Dong
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Yuanhui Mao
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Aidong Zhou
- Department of Cell Biology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Xiao-Min Liu
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Jun Zhou
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Ji Wan
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Shu-Bing Qian
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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181
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Zhang Y, Xu S, Xu G, Gao Y, Li S, Zhang K, Tian Z, Guo J, Li X, Xu J, Li Y. Dynamic Expression of m 6A Regulators During Multiple Human Tissue Development and Cancers. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 8:629030. [PMID: 33575259 PMCID: PMC7870680 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.629030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) plays critical roles in human development and cancer progression. However, our knowledge regarding the dynamic expression of m6A regulators during human tissue development is still lacking. Here, we comprehensively analyzed the dynamic expression alterations of m6A regulators during seven tissue development and eight cancer types. We found that m6A regulators globally exhibited decreased expression during development. In addition, IGF2BP1/2/3 (insulinlike growth factor 2 MRNA-binding protein 1/2/3) exhibited reverse expression pattern in cancer progression, suggesting an oncofetal reprogramming in cancer. The expressions of IGF2BP1/2/3 were regulated by genome alterations, particularly copy number amplification in cancer. Clinical association analysis revealed that higher expressions of IGF2BP1/2/3 were associated with worse survival of cancer patients. Finally, we found that genes significantly correlated with IGF2BP1/2/3 were significantly enriched in cancer hallmark-related pathways. In summary, dynamic expression analysis will guide both mechanistic and therapeutic roles of m6A regulators during tissue development and cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.,College of Biomedical Information and Engineering, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Sicong Xu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.,College of Biomedical Information and Engineering, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Gang Xu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.,College of Biomedical Information and Engineering, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Yueying Gao
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.,College of Biomedical Information and Engineering, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Si Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.,College of Biomedical Information and Engineering, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Ke Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.,College of Biomedical Information and Engineering, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Zhanyu Tian
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.,College of Biomedical Information and Engineering, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Jing Guo
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.,College of Biomedical Information and Engineering, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Xia Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.,College of Biomedical Information and Engineering, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Juan Xu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.,College of Biomedical Information and Engineering, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Yongsheng Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.,College of Biomedical Information and Engineering, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
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182
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Ying P, Li Y, Yang N, Wang X, Wang H, He H, Li B, Peng X, Zou D, Zhu Y, Zhong R, Miao X, Tian J, Chang J. Identification of genetic variants in m 6A modification genes associated with pancreatic cancer risk in the Chinese population. Arch Toxicol 2021; 95:1117-1128. [PMID: 33474615 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-021-02978-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prevalent modification of RNA in eukaryotes, and is associated with many cellular processes and even the development of cancers. We hypothesized that single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in m6A modification genes, including its "writers", "erasers" and "readers", might affect the m6A functions and associate with the susceptibility to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We first conducted a two-stage case-control study in Chinese population to interrogate all SNPs in 22 m6A modification genes. In the discovery stage, a total of 2735 SNPs were genotyped in 980 patients and 1991 controls. Then, the promising SNP was replicated in another independent population consisting of 858 cases and 2084 controls. As a result, we found the rs7495 in 3'UTR of hnRNPC was significantly associated with increased risk of PDAC in both stages (combined odds ratio = 1.22, 95% confidence interval = 1.12-1.32, P = 2.39 × 10-6). To further reveal the biological function of rs7495 and hnRNPC, we performed a series of biochemical experiments. Luciferase reporter assays indicated that rs7495G allele promoted hnRNPC expression through disrupting a putative binding site for has-miR-183-3p. Cell viability assay demonstrated that knockdown of hnRNPC suppressed the proliferation of PDAC cells. RNA-seq analysis suggested that as an m6A "reader", hnRNPC played an important role in RNA biological processes. In conclusion, our findings elucidated that rs7495G could confer higher risk of PDAC via promoting the expression of hnRNPC through a miRNA-mediated manner. These results provided a novel insight into the critical role of m6A modification in tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pingting Ying
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Yao Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Nan Yang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Xiaoyang Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Haoxue Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Heng He
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Bin Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Xiating Peng
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Danyi Zou
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Ying Zhu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Rong Zhong
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Xiaoping Miao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Jianbo Tian
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
| | - Jiang Chang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
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183
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Tian S, Lai J, Yu T, Li Q, Chen Q. Regulation of Gene Expression Associated With the N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) Enzyme System and Its Significance in Cancer. Front Oncol 2021; 10:623634. [PMID: 33552994 PMCID: PMC7859513 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.623634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A), an important RNA modification, is a reversible behavior catalyzed by methyltransferase complexes (m6A "writers"), demethylated transferases (m6A "erasers"), and binding proteins (m6A "readers"). It plays a vital regulatory role in biological functions, involving in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. The level of m6A will affect the RNA metabolism including the degradation of mRNA, and processing or translation of the modified RNA. Its abnormal changes will lead to disrupting the regulation of gene expression and promoting the occurrence of aberrant cell behavior. The abnormal expression of m6A enzyme system can be a crucial impact disturbing the abundance of m6A, thus affecting the expression of oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes in various types of cancer. In this review, we elucidate the special role of m6A "writers", "erasers", and "readers" in normal physiology, and how their altered expression affects the cell metabolism and promotes the occurrence of tumors. We also discuss the potential to target these enzymes for cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and the development of new therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuoran Tian
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Innate Immune Biology, Biomedical Research Center of South China, College of Life Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Junzhong Lai
- The Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Tingting Yu
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Innate Immune Biology, Biomedical Research Center of South China, College of Life Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Qiumei Li
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Innate Immune Biology, Biomedical Research Center of South China, College of Life Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Qi Chen
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Innate Immune Biology, Biomedical Research Center of South China, College of Life Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
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184
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Qi LW, Jia JH, Jiang CH, Hu JM. Contributions and Prognostic Values of N6-Methyladenosine RNA Methylation Regulators in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Genet 2021; 11:614566. [PMID: 33519919 PMCID: PMC7844396 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.614566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The methylation at position N6 of adenine is called N6-methyladenosine (m6A). This transcriptional RNA modification exerts a very active and important role in RNA metabolism and in other biological processes. However, the activities of m6A associated with malignant liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) are unknown and are worthy of study. Materials and Methods Using the data of University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), the expression of M6A methylation regulators in pan-cancer was evaluated as a screening approach to identify the association of M6A gene expression and 18 cancer types, with a specific focus on LIHC. LIHC datasets of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were used to explore the expression of M6A methylation regulators and their clinical significance. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) were used to explore the underlying mechanism based on the evaluation of aberrant expression of m6A methylation regulators. Results The expression alterations of m6A-related genes varied across cancer types. In LIHC, we found that in univariate Cox regression analysis, up-regulated m6A modification regulators were associated with worse prognosis, except for ZC3H13. Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis indicated that higher expression of methyltransferase-like protein 3 (METTL3) and YTH N6-methyladenosine RNA binding protein 1 (YTHDF1) genes related to the worse survival rate defined by disease-related survival (DSS), overall survival (OS), progression-free interval (PFI), and disease-free interval (DFI). Up-regulated m6A methylation regulator group (cluster2) obtained by consensus clustering was associated with poor prognosis. A six-gene prognostic signature established using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression algorithm performed better in the early (I + II; T1 + T2) stages than in the late (III + IV; T3 + T4) stages of LIHC. Using the gene signature, we constructed a risk score and found that it was an independent predictive factor for prognosis. Using GSEA, we identified processes involved in DNA damage repair and several biological processes associated with malignant tumors that were closely related to the high-risk group. Conclusion In summary, our study identified several genes associated with m6A in LIHC, especially METTL3 and YTHDF1, and confirmed that a risk signature comprised of m6A-related genes was able to forecast prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Wen Qi
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Liaoning Cancer Hospital, Graduate School of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Jian-Hui Jia
- Department of Gastrointestinal Tumor, Liaoning Cancer Hospital, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Chen-Hao Jiang
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China
| | - Jian-Ming Hu
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China
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185
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Wei M, Bai JW, Niu L, Zhang YQ, Chen HY, Zhang GJ. The Complex Roles and Therapeutic Implications of m 6A Modifications in Breast Cancer. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 8:615071. [PMID: 33505967 PMCID: PMC7829551 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.615071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence indicates that N6-methyladenosine (m6A), which directly regulates mRNA, is closely related to multiple biological processes and the progression of different malignancies, including breast cancer (BC). Studies of the aberrant expression of m6A mediators in BC revealed that they were associated with different BC subtypes and functions, such as proliferation, apoptosis, stemness, the cell cycle, migration, and metastasis, through several factors and signaling pathways, such as Bcl-2 and the PI3K/Akt pathway, among others. Several regulators that target m6A have been shown to have anticancer effects. Fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) was identified as the first m6A demethylase, and a series of inhibitors that target FTO were reported to have potential for the treatment of BC by inhibiting cell proliferation and promoting apoptosis. However, the exact mechanism by which m6A modifications are regulated by FTO inhibitors remains unknown. m6A modifications in BC have only been preliminarily studied, and their mechanisms require further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Wei
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Xiang'an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Jing-Wen Bai
- Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,Department of Oncology, Xiang'an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Lei Niu
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Xiang'an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yong-Qu Zhang
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Xiang'an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Hong-Yu Chen
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Xiang'an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Guo-Jun Zhang
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Xiang'an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
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186
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Ren H, Zhuo ZJ, Duan F, Li Y, Yang Z, Zhang J, Cheng J, Li S, Li L, Geng J, Zhang Z, He J, Niu H. ALKBH5 Gene Polymorphisms and Hepatoblastoma Susceptibility in Chinese Children. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2021; 2021:6658480. [PMID: 33790968 PMCID: PMC7997766 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6658480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Incidence of hepatoblastoma has been increasing, but the causes of this disease remain unclear. Some studies have suggested that abnormal expressions of ALKBH5 gene are associated with multiple cancers. This study aims to test the hypothesis that hepatoblastoma risk may be modulated by genetic polymorphisms in ALKBH5 gene based on genotyped data from samples of 328 cases and 1476 controls enrolled from eight hospitals in China. We used TaqMan assay to genotype ALKBH5 gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs1378602G > A and rs8400G > A. We calculated the odds ratios (ORs) and P values using logistic regression models to estimate the association between hepatoblastoma risk and ALKBH5 gene SNPs. We found the rs1378602G > A and rs8400G > A could not impact hepatoblastoma risk in single or combined analysis. Stratified analysis revealed that subjects with the rs8400 AA genotype are prone to getting hepatoblastoma in the clinical stage III + IV subgroup (adjusted OR = 1.93, 95% CI = 1.20-3.10, P=0.007), when compared to those with GG/GA genotype. False-positive report probability validated the reliability of the significant results. Preliminary functional annotations revealed that rs8400 A is correlated with increased expression of ALKBH5 gene in the expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) analysis. In all, our investigation presents evidence of a weak impact of ALKBH5 gene polymorphisms on hepatoblastoma risk, using the largest hepatoblastoma sample size. These findings shed some light on the genetic basis of hepatoblastoma, implicating the role of ALKBH5 gene polymorphisms in the etiology of hepatoblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Ren
- 1Department of Pediatric General Surgery, Hebei Children's Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050031, Hebei, China
| | - Zhen-Jian Zhuo
- 2Department of Pediatric Surgery, Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Research in Structural Birth Defect Disease, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510623, Guangdong, China
| | - Fei Duan
- 1Department of Pediatric General Surgery, Hebei Children's Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050031, Hebei, China
| | - Yong Li
- 3Department of Pediatric Surgery, Hunan Children's Hospital, Changsha 410004, Hunan, China
| | - Zhonghua Yang
- 4Department of Pediatric Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, Liaoning, China
| | - Jiao Zhang
- 5Department of Pediatric Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan, China
| | - Jiwen Cheng
- 6Department of Pediatric Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710004, Shaanxi, China
| | - Suhong Li
- 7Department of Pathology, Children Hospital and Women Health Center of Shanxi, Taiyuan 030013, Shaanxi, China
| | - Li Li
- 8Kunming Key Laboratory of Children Infection and Immunity, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Children's Major Disease Research, Yunnan Institute of Pediatrics Research, Yunnan Medical Center for Pediatric Diseases, Kunming Children's Hospital, Kunming 650228, Yunnan, China
| | - Jianlei Geng
- 1Department of Pediatric General Surgery, Hebei Children's Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050031, Hebei, China
| | - Zhiguang Zhang
- 1Department of Pediatric General Surgery, Hebei Children's Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050031, Hebei, China
| | - Jing He
- 2Department of Pediatric Surgery, Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Research in Structural Birth Defect Disease, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510623, Guangdong, China
| | - Huizhong Niu
- 1Department of Pediatric General Surgery, Hebei Children's Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050031, Hebei, China
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187
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Li J, Liang L, Yang Y, Li X, Ma Y. N 6-methyladenosine as a biological and clinical determinant in colorectal cancer: progression and future direction. Theranostics 2021; 11:2581-2593. [PMID: 33456561 PMCID: PMC7806471 DOI: 10.7150/thno.52366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalent cancers and one of the leading causes of cancer death. Recent studies have provided evidence that N6-methyladenosine (m6A), the most abundant RNA modifications in eukaryote, performs many functions in RNA metabolism including translation, splicing, storage, trafficking and degradation. Aberrant regulation of m6A modification in mRNAs and noncoding RNAs found in CRC tissues is crucial for cancer formation, progression, invasion and metastasis. Further, m6A regulators and m6A-related RNAs may become promising biomarkers, prognosis predictors as well as therapeutic targets. Here, we review the biological and clinical roles of m6A modification in CRC, and discuss the potential of m6A in clinical translation.
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188
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Wu Q, Xie X, Huang Y, Meng S, Li Y, Wang H, Hu Y. N6-methyladenosine RNA methylation regulators contribute to the progression of prostate cancer. J Cancer 2021; 12:682-692. [PMID: 33403026 PMCID: PMC7778550 DOI: 10.7150/jca.46379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common epithelial malignant tumors and the fifth leading cause of cancer death in men. An increasing number of studies have demonstrated that N6-methyladenosine (m6A) plays a crucial role in tumorigenesis and tumor development. However, little is known about the role and levels of common m6A regulators and m6A levels in PCa. In this study, we analyzed the characteristic expression of m6A regulators in PCa and castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). UALCAN and cBioPortal were used to estimate the clinical value and genetic alterations of m6A regulators, respectively. The correlation between m6A regulators and androgen receptor (AR) was assessed using Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) by Pearson correlation statistics. Total m6A levels were detected in transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate (TRAMP) mice and PCa cell lines. Results showed that the expression of methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) and YTH domain family members, namely, YTHDC2, YTHDF1, and YTHDF2 were generally upregulated in PCa, whereas those of fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO), AlkB homolog 5 (ALKBH5), and methyltransferase-like 14 (METTL14) were downregulated. The expression of METTL3, METTL14, Wilms' tumor 1-associating protein (WTAP), YTHDC2, YTHDF1, and YTHDF2 were remarkably higher in CRPC with lymph node metastasis than that in CRPC with bone metastasis, whereas ALKBH5, FTO, and YTHDF3 significantly decreased in CRPC with lymph node metastasis tissues. YTHDF1, YTHDF2, and YTHDC2 were positively correlated with the Gleason grades of PCa, and METTL14, FTO, and ALKBH5 were negatively associated with the Gleason classification. M6A regulators were positively correlated with AR. Patients with a genomic alteration of m6A were associated with poor disease-free survival (DFS). The total m6A levels in TRAMP mice increased dramatically compared with those in tumor-free mice, and m6A levels in LNCaP cell lines were higher than DU145 and PC3 cell lines. In summary, METTL3, METTL14, ALKBH5, FTO, YTHDC2, YTHDF1, and YTHDF2 were abnormally expressed in PCa and related to Gleason classification. Changes in m6A levels maybe contributed to the development and progression of PCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qunying Wu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Pre-Clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, China
| | - Xing Xie
- Life Sciences Institute, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, China
| | - Yiming Huang
- Center of Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, China
| | - Shanshan Meng
- Life Sciences Institute, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, China
| | - Youcheng Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Guigang City People's Hospital, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guigang, Guangxi, 537100, China
| | - Huifeng Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Pre-Clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, China
| | - Yanling Hu
- Center of Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, China
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189
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Zhao T, Wang J, Wu Y, Han L, Chen J, Wei Y, Shen L, Long C, Wu S, Wei G. Increased m6A modification of RNA methylation related to the inhibition of demethylase FTO contributes to MEHP-induced Leydig cell injury ☆. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 268:115627. [PMID: 33010548 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification, the most prevalent form of RNA methylation, modulates gene expression post-transcriptionally. Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a common environmental endocrine disrupting chemical that induces testicular injury due to the inhibition of the demethylase fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) and increases the m6A modification. How FTO-mediated m6A modification in testicular Leydig cell injury induced by DEHP remains unclear. Here, the TM3 Leydig cell line was treated with mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), the main metabolite of DEHP in the body, as well as FB23-2, an inhibitor of FTO. Decreased levels of testosterone in the culture supernatant, significantly increased apoptosis, and a remarkable upregulation of global m6A modification were found in both TM3 cells treated with MEHP and FB23-2. Transcriptome sequencing showed that both treatments significantly induced apoptosis-associated gene expression. Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing showed that the Leydig cell injury induced by upregulated m6A modification could be associated with multiple physiological disorders, including histone acetylation, reactive oxygen species biosynthesis, MAPK signaling pathway, hormone secretion regulation, autophagy regulation, and male gonadal development. Overall, the inhibition of FTO-mediated up-regulation of m6A could be involved in MEHP-induced Leydig cell apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianxin Zhao
- Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, China; China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, 400014, PR China
| | - Junke Wang
- Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, China; China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, 400014, PR China
| | - Yuhao Wu
- Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, China; China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, 400014, PR China
| | - Lindong Han
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, China; China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, 400014, PR China
| | - Jiadong Chen
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, China; China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, 400014, PR China
| | - Yuexin Wei
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, China; China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, 400014, PR China
| | - Lianju Shen
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, China; China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, 400014, PR China
| | - Chunlan Long
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, China; China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, 400014, PR China
| | - Shengde Wu
- Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, China; China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, 400014, PR China.
| | - Guanghui Wei
- Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, China; China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, 400014, PR China
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190
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Su G, Liu T, Han X, Sun H, Che W, Hu K, Xiao J, Li Y, Liu Y, Li W, Mei H. YTHDF2 is a Potential Biomarker and Associated with Immune Infiltration in Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:709548. [PMID: 34512342 PMCID: PMC8429956 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.709548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC or KIRC) has a high mortality rate globally. It is necessary to identify biomarkers and investigate the mechanisms those biomarkers are associated with, to improve the prognosis of patients with KIRC. N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) affects the fate of modified RNA molecules and is involved in tumor progression. Different webservers were used in our research to investigate the mRNA transcription and clinical significance of YTHDF2 in KIRC. Survival analysis revealed that patients with elevated YTHDF2 transcription had a slightly longer OS and DFS than those with low YTHDF2 expression. YTHDF2 expression was shown to be significantly associated with the abundance of immune cells such as B cells, CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, macrophages, neutrophils, and dendritic cells. For a series of enrichment studies, we combined information on YTHDF2-binding molecules and expression-linked genes and identified the possible influence of "mRNA surveillance pathway," "RNA degradation," and "RNA transport" in the biology or pathogeny of KIRC. In addition, we identified multiple miRNA, kinase, and transcription factor targets of YTHDF2 in KIRC and constructed target networks. Overall, our findings show that YTHDF2 is a possible indicator of immune infiltration in the KIRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ganglin Su
- Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Reprogramming Technology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Systems Biology and Synthetic Biology for Urogenital Tumors, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Tianshu Liu
- Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaohong Han
- Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hao Sun
- Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Reprogramming Technology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Systems Biology and Synthetic Biology for Urogenital Tumors, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wenan Che
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Economic Crops Genetic Improvement and Integrated Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, China
| | - Kun Hu
- Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Reprogramming Technology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Systems Biology and Synthetic Biology for Urogenital Tumors, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Junwen Xiao
- Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Reprogramming Technology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Systems Biology and Synthetic Biology for Urogenital Tumors, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yanfeng Li
- Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Reprogramming Technology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Systems Biology and Synthetic Biology for Urogenital Tumors, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yuchen Liu
- Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Reprogramming Technology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Systems Biology and Synthetic Biology for Urogenital Tumors, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- *Correspondence: Yuchen Liu, ; Wujiao Li, ; Hongbing Mei,
| | - Wujiao Li
- Key Laboratory of Medical Reprogramming Technology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Systems Biology and Synthetic Biology for Urogenital Tumors, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- *Correspondence: Yuchen Liu, ; Wujiao Li, ; Hongbing Mei,
| | - Hongbing Mei
- Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Reprogramming Technology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Systems Biology and Synthetic Biology for Urogenital Tumors, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- *Correspondence: Yuchen Liu, ; Wujiao Li, ; Hongbing Mei,
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191
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Ghazi T, Nagiah S, Chuturgoon AA. Fusaric acid decreases p53 expression by altering promoter methylation and m6A RNA methylation in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells. Epigenetics 2021; 16:79-91. [PMID: 32631113 PMCID: PMC7889137 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2020.1788324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Revised: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Fusaric acid (FA) is a food-borne mycotoxin that mediates toxicity with limited information on its epigenetic properties. p53 is a tumour suppressor protein that regulates cell cycle arrest and apoptotic cell death. The expression of p53 is regulated transcriptionally by promoter methylation and post-transcriptionally by N-6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation. We investigated the effect of FA on p53 expression and its epigenetic regulation via promoter methylation and m6A RNA methylation in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells. HepG2 cells were treated with FA [0, 25, 50, 104, and 150 µg/ml; 24 h] and thereafter, DNA, RNA, and protein was isolated. Promoter methylation and expression of p53 was measured using qPCR and Western blot. RNA immuno-precipitation was used to determine m6A-p53 levels. The expression of m6A methyltransferases (METTL3 and METTL14), demethylases (FTO and ALKBH5), and readers (YTHDF1-3 and YTHDC2) were measured using qPCR. FA induced p53 promoter hypermethylation (p < 0.0001) and decreased p53 expression (p < 0.0001). FA decreased m6A-p53 levels (p < 0.0001) by decreasing METTL3 (p < 0.0001) and METTL14 (p < 0.0001); and suppressed expression of YTHDF1 (p < 0.0001), YTHDF3 (p < 0.0001), and YTHDC2 (p < 0.0001) that ultimately reduced p53 translation (p < 0.0001). Taken together, the data shows that FA epigenetically decreased p53 expression by altering its promoter methylation and m6A RNA methylation in HepG2 cells. This study reveals a mechanism for p53 regulation by FA and provides insight into future therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terisha Ghazi
- Discipline of Medical Biochemistry and Chemical Pathology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Science, College of Health Sciences, Howard College Campus, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Savania Nagiah
- Discipline of Medical Biochemistry and Chemical Pathology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Science, College of Health Sciences, Howard College Campus, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Anil A. Chuturgoon
- Discipline of Medical Biochemistry and Chemical Pathology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Science, College of Health Sciences, Howard College Campus, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
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192
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RNA methylations in human cancers. Semin Cancer Biol 2020; 75:97-115. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2020.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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193
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Ma Z, Ji J. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification in cancer stem cells. Stem Cells 2020; 38:1511-1519. [PMID: 32985068 DOI: 10.1002/stem.3279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs), a unique subset of undifferentiated cells with stem cell-like properties, have emerged as driving forces in mediating tumor growth, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance. Recent advances have highlighted that N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification plays an important role in cancer biology and CSCs. Dynamic m6A decoration has been demonstrated to be involved in CSC generation and maintenance, governing cancer progression and therapeutic resistance. In this review, we provide the first overview of the current knowledge of m6A modification implicated in CSCs and their impact on CSC properties, tumor progression, and responses to treatment. Finally, we also highlight the potential of m6A machinery as novel targets for cancer therapeutics. The involvement of m6A modification in CSCs provides a new direction for exploring cancer pathogenesis and inspires the development of effective strategies to fully eliminate both cancer cells and CSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhonghua Ma
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Division of Gastrointestinal Cancer Translational Research Laboratory, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing People's Republic of, China
| | - Jiafu Ji
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Division of Gastrointestinal Cancer Translational Research Laboratory, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing People's Republic of, China
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194
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Wang L, Hui H, Agrawal K, Kang Y, Li N, Tang R, Yuan J, Rana TM. m 6 A RNA methyltransferases METTL3/14 regulate immune responses to anti-PD-1 therapy. EMBO J 2020; 39:e104514. [PMID: 32964498 PMCID: PMC7560214 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2020104514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 245] [Impact Index Per Article: 61.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
An impressive clinical success has been observed in treating a variety of cancers using immunotherapy with programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) checkpoint blockade. However, limited response in most patients treated with anti-PD-1 antibodies remains a challenge, requiring better understanding of molecular mechanisms limiting immunotherapy. In colorectal cancer (CRC) resistant to immunotherapy, mismatch-repair-proficient or microsatellite instability-low (pMMR-MSI-L) tumors have low mutation burden and constitute ~85% of patients. Here, we show that inhibition of N6 -methyladenosine (m6 A) mRNA modification by depletion of methyltransferases, Mettl3 and Mettl14, enhanced response to anti-PD-1 treatment in pMMR-MSI-L CRC and melanoma. Mettl3- or Mettl14-deficient tumors increased cytotoxic tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells and elevated secretion of IFN-γ, Cxcl9, and Cxcl10 in tumor microenvironment in vivo. Mechanistically, Mettl3 or Mettl14 loss promoted IFN-γ-Stat1-Irf1 signaling through stabilizing the Stat1 and Irf1 mRNA via Ythdf2. Finally, we found a negative correlation between METTL3 or METTL14 and STAT1 in 59 patients with pMMR-MSI-L CRC tumors. Altogether, our findings uncover a new awareness of the function of RNA methylation in adaptive immunity and provide METTL3 and METTL14 as potential therapeutic targets in anticancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingling Wang
- Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Program in Immunology, Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Hui Hui
- Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Program in Immunology, Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.,Bioinformatics Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Kriti Agrawal
- Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Program in Immunology, Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.,Bioinformatics Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Yuqi Kang
- Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Program in Immunology, Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.,Bioinformatics Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Na Li
- Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Program in Immunology, Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Rachel Tang
- Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Program in Immunology, Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jiajun Yuan
- Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Program in Immunology, Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Tariq M Rana
- Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Program in Immunology, Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.,San Diego Center for Precision Immunotherapy, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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195
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Zhang L, Qiao Y, Huang J, Wan D, Zhou L, Lin S, Zheng S. Expression Pattern and Prognostic Value of Key Regulators for m6A RNA Modification in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Med (Lausanne) 2020; 7:556. [PMID: 33072775 PMCID: PMC7534531 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2020.00556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
As the most prevalent type of mRNA modification in mammals, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is involved in various biological processes. Accumulating studies have indicated that the deregulation of m6A RNA modification is linked to cancer and other diseases. However, its implications in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain poorly characterized. Herein, we sought to investigate the expression pattern of 13 key regulators for m6A RNA modification and to evaluate their prognostic value in HCC. First, we systematically analyzed data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database pertaining to patient clinical information and mRNA gene expression data. We found that 11 out of 13 key regulators for m6A RNA modification showed significantly higher expression levels in HCC. Subsequently, we identified two subgroups (clusters 1 and 2) via consensus clustering based on the expression of 13 m6A RNA methylation regulators. Cluster 2 had a worse prognosis and was also significantly correlated with higher histological grade and pathological stage when compared with cluster 1. Moreover, cluster 2 was remarkedly enriched for cancer-related pathways. We further constructed a robust risk signature of five regulators for m6A RNA modification. Further analysis indicated that this risk signature could be an independent prognostic factor for HCC, and the prognostic relevance of this five-gene risk signature was successfully validated using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset. Finally, we established a novel prognostic nomogram on the basis of age, gender, histological grade, pathological stage, and risk score to precisely predict the prognosis of patients with HCC. In summary, we herein uncovered the vital role of regulators for m6A RNA modification in HCC and developed a risk signature as a promising prognostic marker in HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lele Zhang
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Hangzhou, China.,School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU019), Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yiting Qiao
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Hangzhou, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU019), Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiacheng Huang
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Hangzhou, China.,School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU019), Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, China
| | - Dalong Wan
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lin Zhou
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Hangzhou, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU019), Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shengzhang Lin
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Shulan (Hangzhou) Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Shuren University Shulan International Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shusen Zheng
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Hangzhou, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU019), Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, China.,Shulan (Hangzhou) Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Shuren University Shulan International Medical College, Hangzhou, China
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196
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Vargas-Blanco DA, Shell SS. Regulation of mRNA Stability During Bacterial Stress Responses. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:2111. [PMID: 33013770 PMCID: PMC7509114 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.02111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria have a remarkable ability to sense environmental changes, swiftly regulating their transcriptional and posttranscriptional machinery as a response. Under conditions that cause growth to slow or stop, bacteria typically stabilize their transcriptomes in what has been shown to be a conserved stress response. In recent years, diverse studies have elucidated many of the mechanisms underlying mRNA degradation, yet an understanding of the regulation of mRNA degradation under stress conditions remains elusive. In this review we discuss the diverse mechanisms that have been shown to affect mRNA stability in bacteria. While many of these mechanisms are transcript-specific, they provide insight into possible mechanisms of global mRNA stabilization. To that end, we have compiled information on how mRNA fate is affected by RNA secondary structures; interaction with ribosomes, RNA binding proteins, and small RNAs; RNA base modifications; the chemical nature of 5' ends; activity and concentration of RNases and other degradation proteins; mRNA and RNase localization; and the stringent response. We also provide an analysis of reported relationships between mRNA abundance and mRNA stability, and discuss the importance of stress-associated mRNA stabilization as a potential target for therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego A Vargas-Blanco
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Scarlet S Shell
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, United States.,Program in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, United States
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197
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Li Y, Ge YZ, Xu L, Xu Z, Dou Q, Jia R. The Potential Roles of RNA N6-Methyladenosine in Urological Tumors. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:579919. [PMID: 33015074 PMCID: PMC7510505 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.579919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is regarded as the most abundant, prevalent and conserved internal mRNA modification in mammalian cells. M6A can be catalyzed by m6A methyltransferases METTL3, METTL14 and WTAP (writers), reverted by demethylases ALKBH5 and FTO (erasers), and recognized by m6A -binding proteins such as YTHDF1/2/3, IGF2BP1/2/3 and HNRNPA2B1 (readers). Emerging evidence suggests that m6A modification is significant for regulating many biological and cellular processes and participates in the pathological development of various diseases, including tumors. This article reviews recent studies on the biological function of m6A modification and the methylation modification of m6A in urological tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Li
- Department of Urology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yu-Zheng Ge
- Department of Urology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Luwei Xu
- Department of Urology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zheng Xu
- Department of Urology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Quanliang Dou
- Department of Urology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ruipeng Jia
- Department of Urology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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198
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Song H, Liu D, Dong S, Zeng L, Wu Z, Zhao P, Zhang L, Chen ZS, Zou C. Epitranscriptomics and epiproteomics in cancer drug resistance: therapeutic implications. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2020; 5:193. [PMID: 32900991 PMCID: PMC7479143 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-020-00300-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Revised: 07/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug resistance is a major hurdle in cancer treatment and a key cause of poor prognosis. Epitranscriptomics and epiproteomics are crucial in cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition. In recent years, epitranscriptomic and epiproteomic modification has been investigated on their roles in overcoming drug resistance. In this review article, we summarized the recent progress in overcoming cancer drug resistance in three novel aspects: (i) mRNA modification, which includes alternative splicing, A-to-I modification and mRNA methylation; (ii) noncoding RNAs modification, which involves miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs; and (iii) posttranslational modification on molecules encompasses drug inactivation/efflux, drug target modifications, DNA damage repair, cell death resistance, EMT, and metastasis. In addition, we discussed the therapeutic implications of targeting some classical chemotherapeutic drugs such as cisplatin, 5-fluorouridine, and gefitinib via these modifications. Taken together, this review highlights the importance of epitranscriptomic and epiproteomic modification in cancer drug resistance and provides new insights on potential therapeutic targets to reverse cancer drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huibin Song
- Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University; The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, 518001, Guangdong, China
| | - Dongcheng Liu
- Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University; The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, 518001, Guangdong, China
| | - Shaowei Dong
- Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University; The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, 518001, Guangdong, China
| | - Leli Zeng
- College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, 11439 New York, USA.,Tomas Lindahl Nobel Laureate Laboratory, Research Centre, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhuoxun Wu
- College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, 11439 New York, USA
| | - Pan Zhao
- Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University; The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, 518001, Guangdong, China
| | - Litu Zhang
- Department of Research, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Zhe-Sheng Chen
- College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, 11439 New York, USA.
| | - Chang Zou
- Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University; The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, 518001, Guangdong, China. .,Shenzhen Public Service Platform on Tumor Precision Medicine and Molecular Diagnosis, Shenzhen, 518001, Guangdong, China.
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199
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Zeng C, Huang W, Li Y, Weng H. Roles of METTL3 in cancer: mechanisms and therapeutic targeting. J Hematol Oncol 2020; 13:117. [PMID: 32854717 PMCID: PMC7457244 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-020-00951-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 286] [Impact Index Per Article: 71.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant mRNA modification and is catalyzed by the methyltransferase complex, in which methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) is the sole catalytic subunit. Accumulating evidence in recent years reveals that METTL3 plays key roles in a variety of cancer types, either dependent or independent on its m6A RNA methyltransferase activity. While the roles of m6A modifications in cancer have been extensively reviewed elsewhere, the critical functions of METTL3 in various types of cancer, as well as the potential targeting of METTL3 as cancer treatment, have not yet been highlighted. Here we summarize our current understanding both on the oncogenic and tumor-suppressive functions of METTL3, as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms. The well-documented protein structure of the METTL3/METTL14 heterodimer provides the basis for potential therapeutic targeting, which is also discussed in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengwu Zeng
- Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou, 510005, China.,Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Wanxu Huang
- Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou, 510005, China.,The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510700, China
| | - Yangqiu Li
- Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
| | - Hengyou Weng
- Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou, 510005, China. .,Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510530, China.
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200
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Chen S, Li Y, Zhi S, Ding Z, Wang W, Peng Y, Huang Y, Zheng R, Yu H, Wang J, Hu M, Miao J, Li J. WTAP promotes osteosarcoma tumorigenesis by repressing HMBOX1 expression in an m 6A-dependent manner. Cell Death Dis 2020; 11:659. [PMID: 32814762 PMCID: PMC7438489 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-02847-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) regulators are involved in the progression of various cancers via regulating m6A modification. However, the potential role and mechanism of the m6A modification in osteosarcoma remains obscure. In this study, WTAP was found to be highly expressed in osteosarcoma tissue and it was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival in osteosarcoma. Functionally, WTAP, as an oncogene, was involved in the proliferation and metastasis of osteosarcoma in vitro and vivo. Mechanistically, M6A dot blot, RNA-seq and MeRIP-seq, MeRIP-qRT-PCR and luciferase reporter assays showed that HMBOX1 was identified as the target gene of WTAP, which regulated HMBOX1 stability depending on m6A modification at the 3′UTR of HMBOX1 mRNA. In addition, HMBOX1 expression was downregulated in osteosarcoma and was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival in osteosarcoma patients. Silenced HMBOX1 evidently attenuated shWTAP-mediated suppression on osteosarcoma growth and metastasis in vivo and vitro. Finally, WTAP/HMBOX1 regulated osteosarcoma growth and metastasis via PI3K/AKT pathway. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the critical role of the WTAP-mediated m6A modification in the progression of osteosarcoma, which could provide novel insights into osteosarcoma treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shijie Chen
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, 138 Tongzipo Rd, Changsha, Hunan, 410013, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yuezhan Li
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, 138 Tongzipo Rd, Changsha, Hunan, 410013, China
| | - Shuang Zhi
- Four Gynecological Wards, Ningbo Women and Children's Hospital, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315000, China
| | - Zhiyu Ding
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, 138 Tongzipo Rd, Changsha, Hunan, 410013, China
| | - Weiguo Wang
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, 138 Tongzipo Rd, Changsha, Hunan, 410013, China
| | - Yi Peng
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, 138 Tongzipo Rd, Changsha, Hunan, 410013, China
| | - Yan Huang
- The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Ruping Zheng
- School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Haiyang Yu
- School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jianlong Wang
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, 138 Tongzipo Rd, Changsha, Hunan, 410013, China
| | - Minghua Hu
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Changsha Medical University, Changsha, China
| | - Jinglei Miao
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, 138 Tongzipo Rd, Changsha, Hunan, 410013, China.
| | - Jinsong Li
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, 138 Tongzipo Rd, Changsha, Hunan, 410013, China.
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