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Li TF, Xu Z, Zhang K, Yang X, Thakur A, Zeng S, Yan Y, Liu W, Gao M. Effects and mechanisms of N6-methyladenosine RNA methylation in environmental pollutant-induced carcinogenesis. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 277:116372. [PMID: 38669875 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Environmental pollution, including air pollution, plastic contamination, and heavy metal exposure, is a pressing global issue. This crisis contributes significantly to pollution-related diseases and is a critical risk factor for chronic health conditions, including cancer. Mounting evidence underscores the pivotal role of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) as a crucial regulatory mechanism in pathological processes and cancer progression. Governed by m6A writers, erasers, and readers, m6A orchestrates alterations in target gene expression, consequently playing a vital role in a spectrum of RNA processes, covering mRNA processing, translation, degradation, splicing, nuclear export, and folding. Thus, there is a growing need to pinpoint specific m6A-regulated targets in environmental pollutant-induced carcinogenesis, an emerging area of research in cancer prevention. This review consolidates the understanding of m6A modification in environmental pollutant-induced tumorigenesis, explicitly examining its implications in lung, skin, and bladder cancer. We also investigate the biological mechanisms that underlie carcinogenesis originating from pollution. Specific m6A methylation pathways, such as the HIF1A/METTL3/IGF2BP3/BIRC5 network, METTL3/YTHDF1-mediated m6A modification of IL 24, METTL3/YTHDF2 dynamically catalyzed m6A modification of AKT1, METTL3-mediated m6A-modified oxidative stress, METTL16-mediated m6A modification, site-specific ATG13 methylation-mediated autophagy, and the role of m6A in up-regulating ribosome biogenesis, all come into play in this intricate process. Furthermore, we discuss the direction regarding the interplay between pollutants and RNA metabolism, particularly in immune response, providing new information on RNA modifications for future exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong-Fei Li
- Shiyan Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine Nanoformulation Research, Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Medicine, Renmin road No. 30, Shiyan, Hubei 442000, China
| | - Zhijie Xu
- Department of Pathology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Kui Zhang
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Xiaoxin Yang
- Department of Radiology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Abhimanyu Thakur
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Shuangshuang Zeng
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Yuanliang Yan
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China.
| | - Wangrui Liu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China.
| | - Ming Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
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Huang Y, Lv Y, Yang B, Zhang S, Bixia liu, Zhang C, Hu W, Jiang L, Chen C, Ji D, Xiong C, Liang Y, Liu M, Ying X, Ji W. Enhancing m 6A modification of lncRNA through METTL3 and RBM15 to promote malignant progression in bladder cancer. Heliyon 2024; 10:e28165. [PMID: 38560117 PMCID: PMC10979072 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective Bladder cancer is one of the most prominent malignancies affecting the urinary tract, characterized by a poor prognosis. Our previous research has underscored the pivotal role of m6A methylation in the progression of bladder cancer. Nevertheless, the precise relationship between N6-methyladenosine (m6A) regulation of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) and bladder cancer remains elusive. Methods This study harnessed sequencing data and clinical records from 408 bladder cancer patients in the TCGA database. Employing R software, we conducted bioinformatics analysis to establish an m6A-lncRNA co-expression network. Analyzing the differences between high and low-risk groups, particularly at the immunological level, and subsequently investigating the primary regulatory factors of these lncRNA, validating the findings through experiments, and exploring their specific cellular functions. Results We identified 50 m6A-related lncRNA with prognostic significance through univariate Cox regression analysis. In parallel, we employed a LASSO-Cox regression model to pinpoint 11 lncRNA and calculate risk scores for bladder cancer patients. Based on the median risk score, patients were categorized into low-risk and high-risk groups. The high-risk cohort exhibited notably lower survival rates than their low-risk counterparts. Further analysis pointed to RBM15 and METTL3 as potential master regulators of these m6A-lncRNA. Experimental findings also shed light on the upregulated expression of METTlL3 and RBM15 in bladder cancer, where they contributed to the malignant progression of tumors. The experimental findings demonstrated a significant upregulation of METTL3 and RBM15 in bladder cancer specimens, implicating their contributory role in the oncogenic progression. Knockdown of METTL3 and RBM15 resulted in a marked attenuation of tumor cell proliferation, invasion, and migration, which was concomitant with a downregulation in the cellular m6A methylation status. Moreover, these results revealed that RBM15 and METTL3 function in a synergistic capacity, positing their involvement in cancer promotion via the upregulation of m6A modifications in long non-coding RNAs. Additionally, this study successfully developed an N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU)-induced rat model of in situ bladder carcinoma, confirming the elevated expression of RBM15 and METTL3, which paralleled the overexpression of m6A-related- lncRNAs observed in bladder cancer cell lines. This congruence underscores the potential utility of these molecular markers in in vivo models that mirror human malignancies. Conclusion This study not only offers novel molecular targets,but also enriches the research on m6A modification in bladder cancer, thereby facilitating its clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yapeng Huang
- Center for Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yifan Lv
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Urology, Guangzhou, 510230, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Baotong Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Urology, Guangzhou, 510230, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shike Zhang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bixia liu
- Center for Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Chengcheng Zhang
- Center for Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Wenyu Hu
- Center for Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | | | - Cong Chen
- Center for Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Ding Ji
- Center for Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Chang Xiong
- Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, China
| | - Yaoming Liang
- Center for Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Mingrui Liu
- Center for Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaoling Ying
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Urology, Guangzhou, 510230, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510220, China
| | - Weidong Ji
- Center for Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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Chen H, Liu H, Zhang C, Xiao N, Li Y, Zhao X, Zhang R, Gu H, Kang Q, Wan J. RNA methylation-related inhibitors: Biological basis and therapeutic potential for cancer therapy. Clin Transl Med 2024; 14:e1644. [PMID: 38572667 PMCID: PMC10993167 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
RNA methylation is widespread in nature. Abnormal expression of proteins associated with RNA methylation is strongly associated with a number of human diseases including cancer. Increasing evidence suggests that targeting RNA methylation holds promise for cancer treatment. This review specifically describes several common RNA modifications, such as the relatively well-studied N6-methyladenosine, as well as 5-methylcytosine and pseudouridine (Ψ). The regulatory factors involved in these modifications and their roles in RNA are also comprehensively discussed. We summarise the diverse regulatory functions of these modifications across different types of RNAs. Furthermore, we elucidate the structural characteristics of these modifications along with the development of specific inhibitors targeting them. Additionally, recent advancements in small molecule inhibitors targeting RNA modifications are presented to underscore their immense potential and clinical significance in enhancing therapeutic efficacy against cancer. KEY POINTS: In this paper, several important types of RNA modifications and their related regulatory factors are systematically summarised. Several regulatory factors related to RNA modification types were associated with cancer progression, and their relationships with cancer cell migration, invasion, drug resistance and immune environment were summarised. In this paper, the inhibitors targeting different regulators that have been proposed in recent studies are summarised in detail, which is of great significance for the development of RNA modification regulators and cancer treatment in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huanxiang Chen
- Department of Clinical LaboratoryThe First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouChina
- School of Life ScienceZhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouChina
| | - Hongyang Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyThe Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouChina
| | - Chenxing Zhang
- Department of Clinical LaboratoryThe First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouChina
| | - Nan Xiao
- Department of Clinical LaboratoryThe First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouChina
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Clinical LaboratoryThe First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouChina
| | | | - Ruike Zhang
- Academy of Medical SciencesZhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouChina
| | - Huihui Gu
- Academy of Medical SciencesZhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouChina
| | - Qiaozhen Kang
- School of Life ScienceZhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouChina
| | - Junhu Wan
- Department of Clinical LaboratoryThe First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouChina
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Zhao T, Sun D, Long K, Xiong W, Man J, Zhang Q, Zhang Z. N 6-methyladenosine promotes aberrant redox homeostasis required for arsenic carcinogenesis by controlling the adaptation of key antioxidant enzymes. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 465:133329. [PMID: 38142659 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.133329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A), a high-profile RNA epigenetic modification, responds to oxidative stress and temporal-specifically mediates arsenic carcinogenesis. However, how m6A affects aberrant redox homeostasis required for arsenic carcinogenesis is poorly understood. Here, we established arsenic-carcinogenic models of different stages, including As-treated, As-transformed, and As-tumorigenic cell models. We found that arsenic-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) elevated m6A levels, thus triggering m6A-dependent antioxidant defenses. During arsenic-induced cell transformation, METTL3-upregulated m6A on the mRNAs of SOD1, SOD2, CAT, TXN, and GPX1 promoted the mRNA translation and protein expressions of these antioxidant enzymes by increasing YTHDF1-mediated mRNA stability. Meanwhile, FTO-downregulated m6A on PRDX5 mRNA increased PRDX5 translation and expression by reducing YTHDF2-mediated mRNA decay. After upregulated antioxidant defenses balanced with high levels of ROS induced by arsenic, the m6A balance formed in mRNAs of six key antioxidant enzymes (SOD1, SOD2, CAT, TXN, GPX1, and PRDX5) and promoted high expressions of these antioxidant enzymes to maintain aberrant redox homeostasis. METTL3 inhibitor STM2457, FTO inhibitor FB23-2, or YTHDF1 knockdown disturbed the aberrant redox homeostasis by breaking the m6A balance, causing cell death in arsenic-induced tumors. Our results demonstrated that m6A promotes the formation and maintenance of aberrant redox homeostasis required for arsenic carcinogenesis by time-dependently orchestrating the adaptive expressions of six key m6A-targeted antioxidant enzymes. This study advances our understanding of arsenic carcinogenicity from the novel aspect of m6A-dependent adaptation to arsenic-induced oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianhe Zhao
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Donglei Sun
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Keyan Long
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Wenxiao Xiong
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jin Man
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Zunzhen Zhang
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
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Sergi CM. Nickel's carcinogenicity: the need of more studies to progress. Mil Med Res 2024; 11:8. [PMID: 38268055 PMCID: PMC10809529 DOI: 10.1186/s40779-024-00509-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Consolato M Sergi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada.
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Stollery Children's Hospital, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2B7, Canada.
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