posted on 2023-03-31, 04:23authored byJingnan Pi, Wen Wang, Ming Ji, Xiaoshuang Wang, Xueju Wei, Jing Jin, Tao Liu, Jiaqi Qiang, Zhihong Qi, Feng Li, Yue Liu, Yanni Ma, Yanmin Si, Yue Huo, Yufeng Gao, Yiying Chen, Lei Dong, Rui Su, Jianjun Chen, Shuan Rao, Ping Yi, Shuyang Yu, Fang Wang, Jia Yu
YTHDF1 regulates the downstream players of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.
Funding
National Natural Science Foundation of China
CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences
CAMS Young Talents Award Program
National Key Research and Development Program of China
National Key Basic Research Program of China
CAMS
Medical Epigenetics Research Center
History
ARTICLE ABSTRACT
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prevalent internal RNA modification in mammals that regulates homeostasis and function of modified RNA transcripts. Here, we aimed to investigate the role of YTH m6A RNA-binding protein 1 (YTHDF1), a key regulator of m6A methylation in gastric cancer tumorigenesis. Multiple bioinformatic analyses of different human cancer databases identified key m6A-associated genetic mutations that regulated gastric tumorigenesis. YTHDF1 was mutated in about 7% of patients with gastric cancer, and high expression of YTHDF1 was associated with more aggressive tumor progression and poor overall survival. Inhibition of YTHDF1 attenuated gastric cancer cell proliferation and tumorigenesis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, YTHDF1 promoted the translation of a key Wnt receptor frizzled7 (FZD7) in an m6A-dependent manner, and mutated YTHDF1 enhanced expression of FZD7, leading to hyperactivation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and promotion of gastric carcinogenesis. Our results demonstrate the oncogenic role of YTHDF1 and its m6A-mediated regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in gastric cancer, providing a novel approach of targeting such epigenetic regulators in this disease.
This study provides a rationale for controlling translation of key oncogenic drivers in cancer by manipulating epigenetic regulators, representing a novel and efficient strategy for anticancer treatment.