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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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Kobayashi A, Kitagawa Y, Nasser A, Wakimoto H, Yamada K, Tanaka S. Emerging Roles and Mechanisms of RNA Modifications in Neurodegenerative Diseases and Glioma. Cells 2024; 13:457. [PMID: 38474421 DOI: 10.3390/cells13050457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite a long history of research, neurodegenerative diseases and malignant brain tumor gliomas are both considered incurable, facing challenges in the development of treatments. Recent evidence suggests that RNA modifications, previously considered as static components of intracellular RNAs, are in fact dynamically regulated across various RNA species in cells and play a critical role in major biological processes in the nervous system. Innovations in next-generation sequencing have enabled the accurate detection of modifications on bases and sugars within various RNA molecules. These RNA modifications influence the stability and transportation of RNA, and crucially affect its translation. This review delves into existing knowledge on RNA modifications to offer a comprehensive inventory of these modifications across different RNA species. The detailed regulatory functions and roles of RNA modifications within the nervous system are discussed with a focus on neurodegenerative diseases and gliomas. This article presents a comprehensive overview of the fundamental mechanisms and emerging roles of RNA modifications in these diseases, which can facilitate the creation of innovative diagnostics and therapeutics for these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ami Kobayashi
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Yosuke Kitagawa
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Translational Neuro-Oncology Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Ali Nasser
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Translational Neuro-Oncology Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Hiroaki Wakimoto
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Translational Neuro-Oncology Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Keisuke Yamada
- Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0075, Japan
| | - Shota Tanaka
- Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0075, Japan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
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Fedele M, Cerchia L, Battista S. Subtype Transdifferentiation in Human Cancer: The Power of Tissue Plasticity in Tumor Progression. Cells 2024; 13:350. [PMID: 38391963 PMCID: PMC10887430 DOI: 10.3390/cells13040350] [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: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The classification of tumors into subtypes, characterized by phenotypes determined by specific differentiation pathways, aids diagnosis and directs therapy towards targeted approaches. However, with the advent and explosion of next-generation sequencing, cancer phenotypes are turning out to be far more heterogenous than initially thought, and the classification is continually being updated to include more subtypes. Tumors are indeed highly dynamic, and they can evolve and undergo various changes in their characteristics during disease progression. The picture becomes even more complex when the tumor responds to a therapy. In all these cases, cancer cells acquire the ability to transdifferentiate, changing subtype, and adapt to changing microenvironments. These modifications affect the tumor's growth rate, invasiveness, response to treatment, and overall clinical behavior. Studying tumor subtype transitions is crucial for understanding tumor evolution, predicting disease outcomes, and developing personalized treatment strategies. We discuss this emerging hallmark of cancer and the molecular mechanisms involved at the crossroads between tumor cells and their microenvironment, focusing on four different human cancers in which tissue plasticity causes a subtype switch: breast cancer, prostate cancer, glioblastoma, and pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Fedele
- Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology “G. Salvatore” (IEOS), National Research Council—CNR, 80131 Naples, Italy; (L.C.); (S.B.)
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Wu G, Qin S, Gu K, Zhou Y. PYCR2, induced by c-Myc, promotes the invasiveness and metastasis of breast cancer by activating AKT signalling pathway. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2024; 166:106506. [PMID: 38101533 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2023.106506] [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: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase 2 (PYCR2) expression is aberrantly upregulated in colon cancer. However, the functions and underlying mechanisms of PYCR2 in breast cancer remain elusive. The primary objective of the present study was to elucidate the function of PYCR2 in breast cancer and investigate whether PYCR2 may be transcriptionally regulated by c-Myc to activate the AKT signaling pathway. METHODS Immunohistochemical analysis was performed to examine the expression of PYCR2 in breast cancer and adjacent non-cancerous tissues. Western blot and RT-qPCR were utilized to detect PYCR2 expression in breast cancer cells. Cellular functionalities were evaluated through Transwell assays in vitro and lung metastasis formation assays in vivo. Moreover, the impact of PYCR2 on the activation of AKT signaling was determined through western blot and immunohistochemistry analysis. The transcriptional regulation of PYCR2 expression by c-Myc was evaluated via both western blot analysis and luciferase gene reporter assay. RESULTS PYCR2 overexpression was noted in breast cancer. Silencing PYCR2 expression attenuated the invasive and metastatic abilities of breast cancer cells. Furthermore, the activation of the AKT signaling pathway is indispensable for the promotion of invasion and metastasis mediated by PYCR2. Lastly, the binding of c-Myc to the promoter sequence of PYCR2 resulted in the upregulation of PYCR2 transcription. CONCLUSION Taken together, these results indicate that PYCR2 is transcriptionally regulated by c-Myc and promotes invasion and metastasis in breast cancer through the activation of the AKT pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Wu
- Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214062, China.
| | | | - Ke Gu
- Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214062, China.
| | - Yanjun Zhou
- Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214062, China.
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