Home » Research Paper » Cancer Research: M6A RNA Methylation Regulates Histone Ubiquitination to Support Cancer Growth and Progression (Gupta, Zheng, Houghton, Chen, and Rao Labs)
Cancer Research: M6A RNA Methylation Regulates Histone Ubiquitination to Support Cancer Growth and Progression (Gupta, Zheng, Houghton, Chen, and Rao Labs)
Published On: March 21, 2022
Shared by Brian Phillips
Abstract
Osteosarcoma is the most common malignancy of the bone, yet the survival for osteosarcoma patients is virtually unchanged over the past 30 years. This is principally because the development of new therapies is hampered by a lack of recurrent mutations that can be targeted in osteosarcoma. Here, we report that epigenetic changes via mRNA methylation hold great promise to better understand the mechanisms of osteosarcoma growth and to develop targeted therapeutics. In osteosarcoma patients, the RNA demethylase ALKBH5 was amplified and higher expression correlated with copy number changes. ALKBH5 was critical for promoting osteosarcoma growth and metastasis, yet it was dispensable for normal cell survival. Me-RIP-seq analysis and functional studies showed that ALKBH5 mediates its pro-tumorigenic function by regulating m6A levels of histone deubiquitinase USP22 and the ubiquitin ligase RNF40. ALKBH5-mediated m6A deficiency in osteosarcoma led to increased expression of USP22 and RNF40, which resulted in inhibition of histone H2A monoubiquitination and the induction of key pro-tumorigenic genes, consequently driving unchecked cell cycle progression, incessant replication, and DNA repair. RNF40, which is historically known to ubiquitinate H2B, inhibited H2A ubiquitination in cancer by interacting with and affecting the stability of the DDB1-CUL4-based ubiquitin E3 ligase complex. Taken together, this study directly links the increased activity of ALKBH5 with dysregulation of USP22/RNF40 and histone ubiquitination in cancers. More broadly, these results suggest that m6A RNA methylation works in concert with other epigenetic mechanisms to control cancer growth.
_________________________________________________________Since 2004, UT Health San Antonio, Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute’s (Greehey CCRI) mission has been to advance scientific knowledge relevant to childhood cancer, contribute to understanding its causes, and accelerate the translation of knowledge into novel therapies. Greehey CCRI strives to have a national and global impact on childhood cancer by discovering, developing, and disseminating new scientific knowledge. Our mission consists of three key areas — research, clinical, and education.
Stay connected with the Greehey CCRI on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram
Since 2004, UT Health San Antonio, Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute’s (Greehey CCRI) mission has been to advance scientific knowledge relevant to childhood cancer, contribute to understanding its causes, and accelerate the translation of knowledge into novel therapies. Greehey CCRI strives to have a national and global impact on childhood cancer by discovering, developing, and disseminating new scientific knowledge. Our mission consists of three key areas — research, clinical, and education.
Stay connected with the Greehey CCRI on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
