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Mao X, Xu J, Xiao M, Liang C, Hua J, Liu J, Wang W, Yu X, Meng Q, Shi S. ARID3A enhances chemoresistance of pancreatic cancer via inhibiting PTEN-induced ferroptosis. Redox Biol 2024; 73:103200. [PMID: 38781729 PMCID: PMC11145557 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2024.103200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Currently, chemotherapy remains occupying a pivotal place in the treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Nonetheless, the emergence of drug resistance in recent years has limited the clinical efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents, especially gemcitabine (GEM). Through bioinformatics analysis, AT-rich Interactive Domain-containing Protein 3A (ARID3A), one of transcription factors, is discovered to possibly participate in this progress. This study thoroughly investigates the potential role of ARID3A in the malignant progression and GEM chemoresistance of PDAC and explores the underlying mechanisms. The results indicate that ARID3A knockdown suppresses tumor development and enhances the sensitivity of PDAC cells to GEM in vitro and vivo. Mechanically, CUT&Tag profiling sequencing, RNA-sequencing and functional studies demonstrates that decreased ARID3A expression alleviates the transcriptional inhibition of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), consequently leading to glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) depletion and increased lipid peroxidation levels. Activated ferroptosis induced by the inhibition of GPX4 subsequently restricts tumor progression and reduces GEM resistance in PDAC. This research identifies the ferroptosis regulatory pathway of ARID3A-PTEN-GPX4 axis and reveals its critical role in driving the progression and chemoresistance of pancreatic cancer. Notably, both inhibition of ARID3A and enhancement of ferroptosis can increase chemosensitivity to GEM, which offers a promising opportunity for developing therapeutic strategies to combat acquired chemotherapy resistance in pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqi Mao
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jin Xu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Mingming Xiao
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Chen Liang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jie Hua
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jiang Liu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xianjun Yu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Qingcai Meng
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Si Shi
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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Sun J, Zhu W, Luan M, Xing Y, Feng Z, Zhu J, Ma X, Wang Y, Jia Y. Positive GLI1/INHBA feedback loop drives tumor progression in gastric cancer. Cancer Sci 2024; 115:2301-2317. [PMID: 38676428 PMCID: PMC11247559 DOI: 10.1111/cas.16193] [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: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
GLI1, a key transcription factor of the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway, plays an important role in the development of cancer. However, the function and mechanisms by which GLI1 regulates gene transcription are not fully understood in gastric cancer (GC). Here, we found that GLI1 induced the proliferation and metastasis of GC cells, accompanied by transcriptional upregulation of INHBA. This increased INHBA expression exerted a promoting activity on Smads signaling and then transcriptionally activated GLI1 expression. Notably, our results demonstrate that disrupting the interaction between GLI1 and INHBA could inhibit GC tumorigenesis in vivo. More intriguingly, we confirmed the N6-methyladenosine (m6A) activation mechanism of the Helicobacter pylori/FTO/YTHDF2/GLI1 pathway in GC cells. In conclusion, our study confirmed that the GLI1/INHBA positive feedback loop influences GC progression and revealed the mechanism by which H. pylori upregulates GLI1 expression through m6A modification. This positive GLI1/INHBA feedback loop suggests a novel noncanonical mechanism of GLI1 activity in GC and provides potential therapeutic targets for GC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingguo Sun
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Jinan Central Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Wenshuai Zhu
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Muhua Luan
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Jinan Central Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Yuanxin Xing
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Jinan Central Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Zhaotian Feng
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Jingyu Zhu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaoli Ma
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Jinan Central Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Yunshan Wang
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Jinan Central Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Yanfei Jia
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Jinan Central Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
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3
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Xie W, Shao Y, Bo Q, Li Z, Yu Q, Wang L, Wu G. FTO promotes the progression of retinoblastoma through YTHDF2-dependent N6-methyladenosine modification in E2F3. Mol Carcinog 2024; 63:926-937. [PMID: 38380957 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23698] [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: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Early treatment of retinoblastoma (RB) has significantly improved clinical outcomes. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation is crucial for cancer progression. Thus, we investigated the role of FTO-dependent demethylation in RB and its underlying mechanisms. The biological behavior of RB cells was analyzed using cell counting kit-8, colony formation analysis, transwell assay, flow cytometry, and western blot analysis. m6A modification was evaluated using methylated RNA immunoprecipitation and dual-luciferase reporter assays, and E2F3 stability was assessed using Actinomycin D. The roles of FTO and E2F3 were also elucidated in vivo. These results indicated that FTO was highly expressed in RB cells with low m6A levels. FTO knockdown inhibited RB cell growth, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition and arrested the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase. Mechanistically, FTO interference promoted m6A methylation of E2F3, which was recognized by YTHDF2, thereby reducing mRNA stability. E2F3 overexpression partially rescued the effects of FTO knockdown on biological behavior. Moreover, FTO knockdown reduced tumor weight, tumor volume, ki67 expression, and tumor cell infiltration by mediating E2F3. Taken together, FTO silencing inhibited the malignant processes of RB by suppressing E2F3 in an m6A-YTHD2-dependent manner. These findings suggest that FTO is a novel therapeutic target for RB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Xie
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ningbo Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yongqing Shao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ningbo Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qingyun Bo
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ningbo Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhen Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ningbo Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qihua Yu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ningbo Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Layi Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ningbo Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Guohai Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ningbo Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China
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Guo J, Zhao L, Duan M, Yang Z, Zhao H, Liu B, Wang Y, Deng L, Wang C, Jiang X, Jiang X. Demethylases in tumors and the tumor microenvironment: Key modifiers of N 6-methyladenosine methylation. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 174:116479. [PMID: 38537580 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
RNA methylation modifications are widespread in eukaryotes and prokaryotes, with N6-methyladenosine (m6A) the most common among them. Demethylases, including Fat mass and obesity associated gene (FTO) and AlkB homolog 5 (ALKBH5), are important in maintaining the balance between RNA methylation and demethylation. Recent studies have clearly shown that demethylases affect the biological functions of tumors by regulating their m6A levels. However, their effects are complicated, and even opposite results have appeared in different articles. Here, we summarize the complex regulatory networks of demethylases, including the most important and common pathways, to clarify the role of demethylases in tumors. In addition, we describe the relationships between demethylases and the tumor microenvironment, and introduce their regulatory mechanisms. Finally, we discuss evaluation of demethylases for tumor diagnosis and prognosis, as well as the clinical application of demethylase inhibitors, providing a strong basis for their large-scale clinical application in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junchen Guo
- Departmentof Radiology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110032, China
| | - Liang Zhao
- Department of Anorectal Surgery, Shenyang Anorectal Hospital, Shenyang, Liaoning 110002, China
| | - Meiqi Duan
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110032, China
| | - Zhi Yang
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110032, China
| | - He Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110032, China
| | - Baiming Liu
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110032, China
| | - Yihan Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110032, China
| | - Liping Deng
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110032, China
| | - Chen Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110032, China
| | - Xiaodi Jiang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110002, China.
| | - Xiaofeng Jiang
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110032, China.
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5
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Xu X, Qiu S, Zeng B, Huang Y, Wang X, Li F, Yang Y, Cao L, Zhang X, Wang J, Ma L. N 6-methyladenosine demethyltransferase FTO mediated m 6A modification of estrogen receptor alpha in non-small cell lung cancer tumorigenesis. Oncogene 2024; 43:1288-1302. [PMID: 38443681 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-024-02992-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO), which is closely linked with obesity and dietary intake, plays an important role in diet-related metabolic diseases. However, the underlying mechanism of the N6-methyladenosine (m6A) demethyltransferase FTO in tumor development and progression remains largely unexplored. Here, we demonstrated that FTO expression was largely lower in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) samples than in adjacent healthy tissues, and its expression negatively correlated with poor prognosis. Gain- and loss-of-function assays revealed that FTO inhibited NSCLC tumor cell growth and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) is a target of FTO, and increased FTO expression significantly impaired the m6A levels of ESR1 mRNA. There were two clear m6A modification sites (5247A and 5409A) in the 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) of ESR1, and FTO could decrease their methylation. Moreover, the m6A readers YTHDF1 and IGF2BP3 recognized and bound the m6A sites in ESR1 mRNA, thereby enhancing its stability and facilitating tumor growth. We also showed that ESR1 has good diagnostic value for NSCLC. In conclusion, we uncovered an important mechanism of epitranscriptomic regulation by the FTO-YTHDF1-IGF2BP3-ESR1 axis and identified the potential of m6A-dependent therapeutic strategies for NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Xu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China
- Shanghai Institute of Thoracic Oncology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Shiyu Qiu
- Shanghai Institute of Thoracic Oncology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Bingjie Zeng
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Yiwen Huang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China
- Shanghai Institute of Thoracic Oncology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Xianzhao Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Fusheng Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Yiran Yang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Leiqun Cao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Xiao Zhang
- Shanghai Institute of Thoracic Oncology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China.
| | - Jiayi Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China.
- Shanghai Institute of Thoracic Oncology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China.
| | - Lifang Ma
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China.
- Shanghai Institute of Thoracic Oncology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China.
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Sun J, Wang M, Jia F, Song J, Ren J, Hu B. FTO Stabilizes MIS12 to Inhibit Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Senescence in Atherosclerotic Plaque. J Inflamm Res 2024; 17:1857-1871. [PMID: 38523689 PMCID: PMC10961024 DOI: 10.2147/jir.s447379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose Atherosclerosis is the main cause of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD). Here, we aimed to uncover the role and mechanisms of fat mass and obesity-associated genes (FTO) in the regulation of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) senescence in atherosclerotic plaques. Methods ApoE-/- mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) were used to establish an atherosclerotic animal model. Immunohistochemistry, and the staining of hematoxylin-eosin, Oil Red O, Sirius red, and Masson were performed to confirm the role of FTO in atherosclerosis in vivo. Subsequently, FTO expression in primary VSMCs is either upregulated or downregulated. Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) was used to treat VSMCs, followed by EdU staining, flow cytometry, senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) staining, immunofluorescence, telomere detection, RT-qPCR, and Western blotting to determine the molecular mechanisms by which FTO inhibits VSMC senescence. Results Decreased FTO expression was observed in progressive atherosclerotic plaques of ApoE-/- mice fed with HFD. FTO upregulation inhibits atherosclerotic lesions in mice. FTO inhibits VSMC aging in atherosclerotic plaques by helping VSMC withstand ox-LDL-induced cell cycle arrest and senescence. This process is achieved by stabilizing the MIS12 protein in VSMC through a proteasome-mediated pathway. Conclusion FTO inhibits VSMC senescence and subsequently slows the progression of atherosclerotic plaques by stabilizing the MIS12 protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingzhao Sun
- Department of Emergency, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Mengqi Wang
- Department of Emergency, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fengming Jia
- Department of Emergency, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiantao Song
- Department of Emergency, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jinlin Ren
- Department of Emergency, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Bo Hu
- Department of Emergency, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, People’s Republic of China
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Alhammadi MA, Bajbouj K, Talaat IM, Hamoudi R. The role of RNA-modifying proteins in renal cell carcinoma. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:227. [PMID: 38503745 PMCID: PMC10951318 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06479-y] [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: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Gene expression is one of the most critical cellular processes. It is controlled by complex mechanisms at the genomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic levels. Any aberration in these mechanisms can lead to dysregulated gene expression. One recently discovered process that controls gene expression includes chemical modifications of RNA molecules by RNA-modifying proteins, a field known as epitranscriptomics. Epitranscriptomics can regulate mRNA splicing, nuclear export, stabilization, translation, or induce degradation of target RNA molecules. Dysregulation in RNA-modifying proteins has been found to contribute to many pathological conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and neurological diseases, among others. This article reviews the role of epitranscriptomics in the pathogenesis and progression of renal cell carcinoma. It summarizes the molecular function of RNA-modifying proteins in the pathogenesis of renal cell carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muna A Alhammadi
- Research Institute of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates.
| | - Khuloud Bajbouj
- Research Institute of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates.
- Department of Basic Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States of America.
| | - Iman M Talaat
- Research Institute of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates.
- Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, 21131, Alexandria, Egypt.
| | - Rifat Hamoudi
- Research Institute of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates.
- Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, London, NW3 2PS, United Kingdom.
- ASPIRE Precision Medicine Research Institute Abu Dhabi, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
- BIMAI-Lab, Biomedically Informed Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
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Rosell R, Codony-Servat J, González J, Santarpia M, Jain A, Shivamallu C, Wang Y, Giménez-Capitán A, Molina-Vila MA, Nilsson J, González-Cao M. KRAS G12C-mutant driven non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2024; 195:104228. [PMID: 38072173 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2023.104228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
KRAS G12C mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) partially respond to KRAS G12C covalent inhibitors. However, early adaptive resistance occurs due to rewiring of signaling pathways, activating receptor tyrosine kinases, primarily EGFR, but also MET and ligands. Evidence indicates that treatment with KRAS G12C inhibitors (sotorasib) triggers the MRAS:SHOC2:PP1C trimeric complex. Activation of MRAS occurs from alterations in the Scribble and Hippo-dependent pathways, leading to YAP activation. Other mechanisms that involve STAT3 signaling are intertwined with the activation of MRAS. The high-resolution MRAS:SHOC2:PP1C crystallization structure allows in silico analysis for drug development. Activation of MRAS:SHOC2:PP1C is primarily Scribble-driven and downregulated by HUWE1. The reactivation of the MRAS complex is carried out by valosin containing protein (VCP). Exploring these pathways as therapeutic targets and their impact on different chemotherapeutic agents (carboplatin, paclitaxel) is crucial. Comutations in STK11/LKB1 often co-occur with KRAS G12C, jeopardizing the effect of immune checkpoint (anti-PD1/PDL1) inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Rosell
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute, Badalona (IGTP), Spain; IOR, Hospital Quiron-Dexeus, Barcelona, Spain.
| | | | - Jessica González
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute, Badalona (IGTP), Spain
| | - Mariacarmela Santarpia
- Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Human Pathology "G. Barresi", University of Messina, Italy
| | - Anisha Jain
- Department of Microbiology, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, India
| | - Chandan Shivamallu
- Department of Biotechnology & Bioinformatics, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, Karnataka, India
| | - Yu Wang
- Genfleet Therapeutics, Shanghai, China
| | | | | | - Jonas Nilsson
- Department Radiation Sciences, Oncology, Umeå University, Sweden
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Zhao Y, Hu X, Yu H, Sun H, Zhang L, Shao C. The FTO Mediated N6-Methyladenosine Modification of DDIT4 Regulation with Tumorigenesis and Metastasis in Prostate Cancer. RESEARCH (WASHINGTON, D.C.) 2024; 7:0313. [PMID: 38384328 PMCID: PMC10879844 DOI: 10.34133/research.0313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
The progression of numerous malignancies has been linked to N6-methyladenosine (m6A) alteration. However, the opposite trend of m6A levels in the development and metastasis of cancer has not been reported. This study aimed to evaluate the biological function and mechanism of fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) in regulating m6A modification in prostate cancer development and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). An EMT model of LNCaP and PC-3 cells was established with transforming growth factor-β treatment, and FTO knockout cell line was established in prostate cancer cells using the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology. The level of m6A modification in tumor tissues was higher than that in normal prostate tissues; m6A levels were decreased after EMT. FTO deletion increased m6A expression and enhanced PC-3 cell motility, invasion, and EMT both in vitro and in vivo. RNA sequencing and functional investigations suggested that DDIT4, a novel EMT target gene, plays a role in m6A-regulated EMT, which was recognized and stabilized by the m6A effector IGF2BP2/3. Decreased FTO expression was an independent indicator of worse survival, and the level of DDIT4 was considerably elevated in patients with bone metastasis. Thus, this study revealed that the m6A demethylase FTO can play different roles in prostate cancer as a regulator of EMT and an inhibitor of m6A modification. Moreover, DDIT4 can be suggested as a possible biomarker for prostate cancer metastasis prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zhao
- Department of Urology, Xiang’an Hospital of Xiamen University,
Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine,
Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Xin Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment,
Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Haoran Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment,
Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Huimin Sun
- Department of Urology, Xiang’an Hospital of Xiamen University,
Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Public healthy,
Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Chen Shao
- Department of Urology, Xiang’an Hospital of Xiamen University,
Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
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Zhou Y, Zhou X, Ben Q, Liu N, Wang J, Zhai Y, Bao Y, Zhou L. GATA6-AS1 suppresses epithelial-mesenchymal transition of pancreatic cancer under hypoxia through regulating SNAI1 mRNA stability. J Transl Med 2023; 21:882. [PMID: 38057853 PMCID: PMC10698911 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04757-5] [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: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by a hypoxic microenvironment, a high rate of heterogeneity as well as a high likelihood of recurrence. Mounting evidence has affirmed that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) participate in the carcinogenesis of PDAC cells. In this study, we revealed significantly decreased expression of GATA6-AS1 in PDAC based on the GEO dataset and our cohorts, and showed that low GATA6-AS1 expression was linked to unfavorable clinicopathologic characteristics as well as a poor prognosis. Gain- and loss-of-function studies demonstrated that GATA6-AS1 suppressed the proliferation, invasion, migration, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process of PDAC cells under hypoxia. In vivo data confirm the suppressive roles of GATA6-AS1/SNAI1 in tumor growth and lung metastasis of PDAC. Mechanistically, hypoxia-driven E26 transformation-specific sequence-1 (ETS1), as an upstream modulatory mechanism, was essential for the downregulation of GATA6-AS1 in PDAC cells. GATA6-AS1 inhibited the expression of fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO), an N6-methyladenosine (m6A) eraser, and repressed SNAI1 mRNA stability in an m6A-dependent manner. Our data suggested that GATA6-AS1 can inhibit PDAC cell proliferation, invasion, migration, EMT process and metastasis under hypoxia, and disrupting the GATA6-AS1/FTO/SNAI1 axis might be a viable therapeutic approach for refractory hypoxic pancreatic cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunhui Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No. 1, Jianshe East Road, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Xinyi Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No. 1, Jianshe East Road, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Qiwen Ben
- Department of Gastroenterology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Ningning Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No. 1, Jianshe East Road, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Jiahui Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No. 1, Jianshe East Road, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Yongpeng Zhai
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No. 1, Jianshe East Road, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Yichen Bao
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No. 1, Jianshe East Road, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Lin Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No. 1, Jianshe East Road, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
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11
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Gao L, Wang A, Chen Y, Cai X, Li Y, Zhao J, Zhang Y, Zhang W, Zhu J, Zeng Y, Liu Z, Huang JA. FTO facilitates cancer metastasis by modifying the m 6A level of FAP to induce integrin/FAK signaling in non-small cell lung cancer. Cell Commun Signal 2023; 21:311. [PMID: 37919739 PMCID: PMC10623768 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-023-01343-6] [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: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emerging evidence suggests the critical roles of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. However, the role of m6A in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is still unclear. This study aimed to explore the role of the m6A demethylase fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) in the tumor metastasis of NSCLC. METHODS A human m6A epitranscriptomic microarray analysis was used to identify downstream targets of FTO. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT‒PCR) and western blotting were employed to evaluate the expression levels of FTO and FAP in NSCLC cell lines and tissues. Gain-of-function and loss-of-function assays were conducted in vivo and in vitro to assess the effects of FTO and FAP on NSCLC metastasis. M6A-RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP), RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), luciferase reporter assays, and RNA stability assays were used to explore the mechanism of FTO action. Co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) assays were used to determine the mechanism of FAP in NSCLC metastasis. RESULTS FTO was upregulated and predicted poor prognosis in patients with NSCLC. FTO promoted cell migration and invasion in NSCLC, and the FAK inhibitor defactinib (VS6063) suppressed NSCLC metastasis induced by overexpression of FTO. Mechanistically, FTO facilitated NSCLC metastasis by modifying the m6A level of FAP in a YTHDF2-dependent manner. Moreover, FTO-mediated metastasis formation depended on the interactions between FAP and integrin family members, which further activated the FAK signaling. CONCLUSION Our current findings provided valuable insights into the role of FTO-mediated m6A demethylation modification in NSCLC metastasis. FTO was identified as a contributor to NSCLC metastasis through the activation of the FAP/integrin/FAK signaling, which may be a potential therapeutic target for NSCLC. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lirong Gao
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
- Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
| | - Anqi Wang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
- Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
| | - Yuling Chen
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
- Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
| | - Xin Cai
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
- Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
| | - Yue Li
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
- Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
| | - Jian Zhao
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
- Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
| | - Yang Zhang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
- Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
| | - Weijie Zhang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
- Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
| | - Jianjie Zhu
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
- Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
- Suzhou Key Laboratory for Respiratory Diseases, Suzhou, 215006, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zeng
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
- Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
- Suzhou Key Laboratory for Respiratory Diseases, Suzhou, 215006, China
| | - Zeyi Liu
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China.
- Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China.
- Suzhou Key Laboratory for Respiratory Diseases, Suzhou, 215006, China.
| | - Jian-An Huang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China.
- Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China.
- Suzhou Key Laboratory for Respiratory Diseases, Suzhou, 215006, China.
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12
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Wang D, Zhang Y, Li Q, Zhang A, Xu J, Li Y, Li W, Tang L, Yang F, Meng J. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) in cancer therapeutic resistance: Potential mechanisms and clinical implications. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 167:115477. [PMID: 37696088 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer therapy resistance (CTR) is the development of cancer resistance to multiple therapeutic strategies, which severely affects clinical response and leads to cancer progression, recurrence, and metastasis. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) has been identified as the most common, abundant, and conserved internal transcriptional alterations of RNA modifications, regulating RNA splicing, translation, stabilization, degradation, and gene expression, and is involved in the development and progression of a variety of diseases, including cancer. Recent studies have shown that m6A modifications play a critical role in both cancer development and progression, especially in reversing CTR. Although m6A modifications have great potential in CTR, the specific molecular mechanisms are not fully elucidated. In this review, we summarize the potential molecular mechanisms of m6A modification in CTR. In addition, we update recent advances in natural products from Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) and small-molecule lead compounds targeting m6A modifications, and discuss the great potential and clinical implications of these inhibitors targeting m6A regulators and combinations with other therapies to improve clinical efficacy and overcome CTR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Wang
- Graduate School, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Graduate School, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
| | - Qingbo Li
- Graduate School, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
| | - Ao Zhang
- Graduate School, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
| | - Jingxuan Xu
- Graduate School, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
| | - Yu Li
- Graduate School, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
| | - Wen Li
- Graduate School, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
| | - Lin Tang
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China.
| | - Fan Yang
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China.
| | - Jingyan Meng
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China.
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Li N, Zhang L, Liu H, Xu Q, Ma F, Zhang CY. Label-free and sensitive detection of N6-methyladenosine demethylase activity in crude cell extracts and clinical cancer tissues based on demethylation-triggered exponential signal amplification. Anal Chim Acta 2023; 1278:341705. [PMID: 37709449 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2023.341705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
The m6A demethylase catalyzes the removal of m6A modification to establish proper RNA methylation patterns, and it has emerged as a promising disease biomarker and a therapeutic target. The reported m6A demethylase assays often suffer from tedious producers, expensive reagents, radioactive risk, limited sensitivity, and poor specificity. Herein, we develop a simple, selective, label-free, and highly sensitive fluorescent biosensor for m6A demethylase assay based on demethylation-triggered exponential signal amplification. In this biosensor, m6A demethylase-catalyzed demethylation can protect the circular DNA from the digestion by DpnI, subsequently triggering hyperbranched rolling circle amplification to achieve exponential signal amplification for producing abundant ssDNA and dsDNA products. The amplified DNA signal can be sensitively and simply detected by SYBR Gold in a label-free manner. This biosensor avoids any antibodies, washing/separation procedures, and fluorophore-/quencher-labeled probes, great simplifying the assay procedures and reducing the assay cost. Moreover, this biosensor achieves good specificity and excellent sensitivity with a detection limit of 1.2 fg/μL, which is superior to conventional ELISA (36.3 pg/μL). Especially, this biosensor enables direct monitoring of m6A demethylase activity in crude cell extracts with high accuracy, and it can be further applied for the screening of m6A demethylase inhibitor, measurement of m6A demethylase activity in different cell lines, and discrimination of m6A demethylase level in clinical cancer and healthy tissues, providing a facile and robust platform for RNA methylation-related biomedical research, disease diagnosis, and drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China
| | - Lingfei Zhang
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Weihai City, Weihai, 264200, China
| | - Hao Liu
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, 710021, China
| | - Qinfeng Xu
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, 710021, China
| | - Fei Ma
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China.
| | - Chun-Yang Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China.
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14
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Lin K, Zhou E, Shi T, Zhang S, Zhang J, Zheng Z, Pan Y, Gao W, Yu Y. m6A eraser FTO impairs gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer through influencing NEDD4 mRNA stability by regulating the PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2023; 42:217. [PMID: 37605223 PMCID: PMC10464189 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02792-0] [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: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gemcitabine resistance has brought great challenges to the treatment of pancreatic cancer. The N6-methyladenosine (m6A) mutation has been shown to have a significant regulatory role in chemosensitivity; however, it is not apparent whether gemcitabine resistance can be regulated by fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO). METHODS Cells with established gemcitabine resistance and tissues from pancreatic cancer patients were used to evaluate FTO expression. The biological mechanisms of the effects of FTO on gemcitabine resistant cells were investigated using CCK-8, colony formation assay, flow cytometry, and inhibitory concentration 50. Immunoprecipitation/mass spectrometry, MeRIP-seq, RNA sequencing and RIP assays, RNA stability, luciferase reporter, and RNA pull down assays were employed to examine the mechanism of FTO affecting gemcitabine resistant pancreatic cancer cells. RESULTS The results revealed that FTO was substantially expressed in cells and tissues that were resistant to gemcitabine. Functionally, the gemcitabine resistance of pancreatic cancer could be enhanced by FTO, while its depletion inhibited the growth of gemcitabine resistant tumor cells in vivo. Immunoprecipitation/mass spectrometry showed that the FTO protein can be bound to USP7 and deubiquitinated by USP7, leading to the upregulation of FTO. At the same time, FTO knockdown significantly decreased the expression level of NEDD4 in an m6A-dependent manner. RNA pull down and RNA immunoprecipitation verified YTHDF2 as the reader of NEDD4, which promoted the chemoresistance of gemcitabine resistant cells. FTO knockdown markedly increased the PTEN expression level in an NEDD4-dependent manner and influenced the chemosensitivity to gemcitabine through the PI3K/AKT pathway in pancreatic cancer cells. CONCLUSION In conclusion, we found that gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer can be influenced by FTO that demethylates NEDD4 RNA in a m6A-dependent manner, which then influences the PTEN expression level and thereby affects the PI3K/AKT pathway. We also identified that the FTO level can be upregulated by USP7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Lin
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Pancreas Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Endi Zhou
- Pancreas Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ting Shi
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Afliated Huaian No.1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huaian, China
| | - Siqing Zhang
- Pancreas Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jinfan Zhang
- Pancreas Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ziruo Zheng
- Pancreas Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuetian Pan
- Medical Faculty of Ludwig Maximilians, University of Munich-Munich, Bayern, Germany
| | - Wentao Gao
- Pancreas Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Yabin Yu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Afliated Huaian No.1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huaian, China.
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15
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Ashrafizadeh M, Zhang W, Zou R, Sethi G, Klionsky DJ, Zhang X. A bioinformatics analysis, pre-clinical and clinical conception of autophagy in pancreatic cancer: Complexity and simplicity in crosstalk. Pharmacol Res 2023; 194:106822. [PMID: 37336429 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a serious gastrointestinal tract disease for which the 5-year survival rate is less than 10%, even in developed countries such as the USA. The genomic profile alterations and dysregulated biological mechanisms commonly occur in PC. Macroautophagy/autophagy is a cell death process that is maintained at a basal level in physiological conditions, whereas its level often changes during tumorigenesis. The function of autophagy in human cancers is dual and can be oncogenic and onco-suppressor. Autophagy is a potent controller of tumorigenesis in PC. The supportive autophagy in PC escalates the growth rate of PC cells and its suppression can mediate cell death. Autophagy also determines the metastasis of PC cells, and it can control the EMT in affecting migration. Moreover, starvation and hypoxia can stimulate glycolysis, and glycolysis induction can be mediated by autophagy in enhancing tumorigenesis in PC. Furthermore, protective autophagy stimulates drug resistance and gemcitabine resistance in PC cells, and its inhibition can enhance radiosensitivity. Autophagy can degrade MHC-I to mediate immune evasion and also regulates polarization of macrophages in the tumor microenvironment. Modulation of autophagy activity is provided by silibinin, ursolic acid, chrysin and huaier in the treatment of PC. Non-coding RNAs are also controllers of autophagy in PC and its inhibition can improve therapy response in patients. Moreover, mitophagy shows dysregulation in PC, which can enhance the proliferation of PC cells. Therefore, a bioinformatics analysis demonstrates the dysregulation of autophagy-related proteins and genes in PC as biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milad Ashrafizadeh
- Department of General Surgery and Institute of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Digestive System Tumors, Carson International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China; Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of General Surgery and Institute of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Digestive System Tumors, Carson International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
| | - Rongjun Zou
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong, China; The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, Guangdong, China
| | - Gautam Sethi
- Department of Pharmacology and NUS Centre for Cancer Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Daniel J Klionsky
- Life Sciences Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Xianbin Zhang
- Department of General Surgery and Institute of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Digestive System Tumors, Carson International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China.
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16
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Huang J, Yang J, Zhang Y, Lu D, Dai Y. FTO promotes cervical cancer cell proliferation, colony formation, migration and invasion via the regulation of the BMP4/Hippo/YAP1/TAZ pathway. Exp Cell Res 2023; 427:113585. [PMID: 37030332 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2023.113585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Cervical cancer is the fourth most common malignancy tumor worldwide with high incidence and mortality. Accumulating evidence indicated that through an m6A-dependent or m6A-independent mechanism, fat mass and obesity associated gene (FTO) exhibits the tumor-promoting and suppressive roles of FTO involved in various cancers, including cervical cancer. This study aims to verify the biological function and potential mechanisms of FTO in cervical cancer cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion in vitro as well as tumor growth in vivo. Herein, we confirmed that knockdown of FTO inhibits cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion of cervical cancer cells in vitro via cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) assay, colony formation assay, and transwell migration and invasion assay. The demethylase activity of FTO is required for cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion of cervical cancer cells in vitro. RNA sequencing, online database analysis, and western blotting revealed that FTO regulated the BMP4/Hippo/YAP1/TAZ pathway. In addition, FTO upregulates the expression of BMP4 in an m6A-dependent manner and binds to the N-terminal of BMP4 to form a dimer at the C-terminal in cervical cancer cells through protein-protein interaction. We further discovered that BMP4 treatment promoted cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion of cervical cancer cells, and rescue experiments validated that BMP4 treatment reversed the inhibition of FTO knockdown on the Hippo/YAP1/TAZ pathway and the progression of cervical cancer cells in vitro. Notably, the knockdown of FTO significantly suppressed xenograft tumor growth and the protein level of BMP4 in vivo. Collectively, our results demonstrate that the FTO promotes cervical cancer progression in vitro and in vivo via the regulation of the BMP4/Hippo/YAP1/TAZ pathway, suggesting that FTO acts as an oncogenic molecule and the FTO/BMP4 Hippo/YAP1/TAZ axis may serve as valuable targets for cervical cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinyuan Huang
- Department of Gynecology, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University/Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Gynecology, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University/Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yudi Zhang
- Department of Gynecology, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University/Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Dan Lu
- Department of Gynecology, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University/Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yinmei Dai
- Department of Gynecology, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University/Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Beijing, China.
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17
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Yang Q, Al-Hendy A. The Functional Role and Regulatory Mechanism of FTO m 6A RNA Demethylase in Human Uterine Leiomyosarcoma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:7957. [PMID: 37175660 PMCID: PMC10178470 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24097957] [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: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Uterine leiomyosarcoma (uLMS) is the most frequent subtype of uterine sarcoma that presents a poor prognosis and high rates of recurrence and metastasis. The origin and molecular mechanism underlying and driving its clinical and biological behavior remain largely unknown. Recently, we and others have revealed the role of microRNAs, DNA methylation, and histone modifications in contributing to the pathogenesis of uLMS. However, the connection between reversible m6A RNA methylation and uLMS pathogenesis remains unclear. In this study, we assessed the role and mechanism of FTO m6A RNA demethylase in the pathogenesis of uLMS. Immunohistochemistry analysis revealed that the levels of RNA demethylases FTO and ALKBH5 were aberrantly upregulated in uLMS tissues compared to adjacent myometrium with a significant change by histochemical scoring assessment (p < 0.01). Furthermore, the inhibition of FTO demethylase with its small, potent inhibitor (Dac51) significantly decreased the uLMS proliferation dose-dependently via cell cycle arrest. Notably, RNA-seq analysis revealed that the inhibition of FTO with Dac51 exhibited a significant decrease in cell-cycle-related genes, including several CDK members, and a significant increase in the expression of CDKN1A, which correlated with a Dac51-exerted inhibitory effect on cell proliferation. Moreover, Dac51 treatment allowed the rewiring of several critical pathways, including TNFα signaling, KRAS signaling, inflammation response, G2M checkpoint, and C-Myc signaling, among others, leading to the suppression of the uLMS phenotype. Moreover, transcription factor (TF) analyses suggested that epitranscriptional alterations by Dac51 may alter the cell cycle-related gene expression via TF-driven pathways and epigenetic networks in uLMS cells. This intersection of RNA methylation and other epigenetic controls and pathways provides a framework to better understand uterine diseases, particularly uLMS pathogenesis with a dysregulation of RNA methylation machinery. Therefore, targeting the vulnerable epitranscriptome may provide an additional regulatory layer for a promising and novel strategy for treating patients with this aggressive uterine cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiwei Yang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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Chen L, Gao Y, Xu S, Yuan J, Wang M, Li T, Gong J. N6-methyladenosine reader YTHDF family in biological processes: Structures, roles, and mechanisms. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1162607. [PMID: 36999016 PMCID: PMC10043241 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1162607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
As the most abundant and conserved internal modification in eukaryote RNAs, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is involved in a wide range of physiological and pathological processes. The YT521-B homology (YTH) domain-containing family proteins (YTHDFs), including YTHDF1, YTHDF2, and YTHDF3, are a class of cytoplasmic m6A-binding proteins defined by the vertebrate YTH domain, and exert extensive functions in regulating RNA destiny. Distinct expression patterns of the YTHDF family in specific cell types or developmental stages result in prominent differences in multiple biological processes, such as embryonic development, stem cell fate, fat metabolism, neuromodulation, cardiovascular effect, infection, immunity, and tumorigenesis. The YTHDF family mediates tumor proliferation, metastasis, metabolism, drug resistance, and immunity, and possesses the potential of predictive and therapeutic biomarkers. Here, we mainly summary the structures, roles, and mechanisms of the YTHDF family in physiological and pathological processes, especially in multiple cancers, as well as their current limitations and future considerations. This will provide novel angles for deciphering m6A regulation in a biological system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Chen
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yang Gao
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Simiao Xu
- Division of Endocrinology, Affiliated Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Disease, Wuhan, China
| | - Jinxiong Yuan
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Min Wang
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Tianyu Li
- Trauma Center/Department of Emergency and Traumatic Surgery, Affiliated Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jun Gong
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Jun Gong,
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The Emerging Role of m6A Modification in Endocrine Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15041033. [PMID: 36831377 PMCID: PMC9954123 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15041033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
With the development of RNA modification research, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is regarded as one of the most important internal epigenetic modifications of eukaryotic mRNA. It is also regulated by methylase, demethylase, and protein preferentially recognizing the m6A modification. This dynamic and reversible post-transcriptional RNA alteration has steadily become the focus of cancer research. It can increase tumor stem cell self-renewal and cell proliferation. The m6A-modified genes may be the primary focus for cancer breakthroughs. Although some endocrine cancers are rare, they may have a high mortality rate. As a result, it is critical to recognize the significance of endocrine cancers and identify new therapeutic targets that will aid in improving disease treatment and prognosis. We summarized the latest experimental progress in the m6A modification in endocrine cancers and proposed the m6A alteration as a potential diagnostic marker for endocrine malignancies.
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Su Z, Xu L, Dai X, Zhu M, Chen X, Li Y, Li J, Ge R, Cheng B, Wang Y. Prognostic and clinicopathological value of m6A regulators in human cancers: a meta-analysis. Aging (Albany NY) 2022; 14:8818-8838. [DOI: 10.18632/aging.204371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhangci Su
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Leyao Xu
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Xinning Dai
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Mengyao Zhu
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Department of Orthodontics, School of Stomatology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Xiaodan Chen
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Yuanyuan Li
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Jie Li
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Ruihan Ge
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Bin Cheng
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Yun Wang
- Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, P.R. China
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Niu X, Yang Y, Ren Y, Zhou S, Mao Q, Wang Y. Crosstalk between m 6A regulators and mRNA during cancer progression. Oncogene 2022; 41:4407-4419. [PMID: 36008465 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-022-02441-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
m6A modification, the most abundant and widespread RNA modification, is present and involved in the occurrence and development of various cancers. To date, most studies have mainly focused on the roles of a single m6A regulator (writer/eraser/reader) in various cancers, but cumulative evidence shows that aberrant m6A regulators and m6A levels exert dual effects (promoting and/or inhibiting roles) in cancer progression. Recently, studies have investigated the direct interactions between different m6A regulators (writer/eraser and reader) and mRNAs in a variety of cancers. In this review, we summarize the functions of m6A regulators and their roles in various types of cancers. We further propose the possible crosstalk mechanisms (Writer-m6A-Reader-mRNA axis and Eraser-m6A-Reader-mRNA axis) between different m6A regulators and mRNAs during cancer progression. We also discuss the clinical potential of m6A regulator‑targeting strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodong Niu
- Department of Neurosurgery and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuan Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yanming Ren
- Department of Neurosurgery and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shengtao Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of MOE, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qing Mao
- Department of Neurosurgery and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
| | - Yuan Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
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