O-GlcNAcylated YTHDF2 promotes bladder cancer progression by regulating the tumor suppressor gene PER1 via m6A modification.
10.11817/j.issn.1672-7347.2025.250202
- Author:
Li WANG
1
,
2
;
Da REN
3
;
Zeqiang CAI
3
;
Wentao HU
3
;
Yuting CHEN
3
;
Xuan ZHU
4
Author Information
1. Department of Thoracic Surgery, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha
2. li-wang@csu.edu.cn.
3. Department of Urology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China.
4. Department of Urology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China. zhuxuan@csu.edu.cn.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
N 6-methyladenosine modification;
O-linked N-acetylglucosamine glycosylation;
YTH N 6-methyladenosine RNA binding protein F2;
bladder cancer;
period circadian regulator 1
- MeSH:
Humans;
Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/metabolism*;
RNA-Binding Proteins/genetics*;
Cell Proliferation;
Cell Line, Tumor;
Disease Progression;
Acetylglucosamine/metabolism*;
Adenosine/metabolism*;
Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic;
Genes, Tumor Suppressor
- From:
Journal of Central South University(Medical Sciences)
2025;50(5):827-839
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVES:Bladder cancer is a common malignancy with high incidence and poor prognosis. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is widely involved in diverse physiological processes, among which the m6A recognition protein YTH N6-methyladenosine RNA binding protein F2 (YTHDF2) plays a crucial role in bladder cancer progression. This study aims to elucidate the molecular mechanism by which O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) modification of YTHDF2 regulates its downstream target, period circadian regulator 1 (PER1), thereby promoting bladder cancer cell proliferation.
METHODS:Expression of YTHDF2 in bladder cancer was predicted using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Twenty paired bladder cancer and adjacent normal tissues were collected at the clinical level. Normal bladder epithelial cells (SV-HUC-1) and bladder cancer cell lines (T24, 5637, EJ-1, SW780, BIU-87) were examined by quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR), Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry for expression of YTHDF2, PER1, and proliferation-related proteins [proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), minichromosome maintenance complex component 2 (MCM2), Cyclin D1]. YTHDF2 was silenced in 5637 and SW780 cells, and cell proliferation was assessed by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation, and EdU assays. Bioinformatics was used to predict glycosylation sites of YTHDF2, and immunoprecipitation (IP) was performed to detect O-GlcNAc modification levels of YTHDF2 in tissues and cells. Bladder cancer cells were treated with DMSO, OSMI-1 (O-GlcNAc inhibitor), or Thiamet G (O-GlcNAc activator), followed by cycloheximide (CHX), to assess YTHDF2 ubiquitination by IP. YTHDF2 knockdown and Thiamet G treatment were further used to evaluate PER1 mRNA stability, PER1 m6A modification, and cell proliferation. TCGA was used to predict PER1 expression in tissues; SRAMP predicted potential PER1 m6A sites. Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP) assays measured PER1 m6A modification. Finally, the effects of knocking down YTHDF2 and PER1 on 5637 and SW780 cell proliferation were assessed.
RESULTS:YTHDF2 expression was significantly upregulated in bladder cancer tissues compared with adjacent tissues (mRNA: 2.5-fold; protein: 2-fold), which O-GlcNAc modification levels increased 3.5-fold (P<0.001). YTHDF2 was upregulated in bladder cancer cell lines, and its knockdown suppressed cell viability (P<0.001), downregulated PCNA, MCM2, and CyclinD1 (all P<0.05), reduced colony numbers 3-fold (P<0.01), and inhibited proliferation. YTHDF2 exhibited elevated O-GlcNAc modification in cancer cells. OSMI-1 reduced YTHDF2 protein stability (P<0.01) and enhanced ubiquitination, while Thiamet G exerted opposite effects (P<0.001). Thiamet G reversed the proliferation-suppressive effects of YTHDF2 knockdown, promoting cell proliferation (P<0.01) and upregulating PCNA, MCM2, and CyclinD1 (all P<0.05). Mechanistically, YTHDF2 targeted PER1 via m6A recognition, promoting PER1 mRNA degradation. Rescue experiments showed that PER1 knockdown reversed the inhibitory effect of YTHDF2 knockdown on cell proliferation, upregulated PCNA, MCM2, and Cyclin D1 (all P<0.05), and promoted bladder cancer cell proliferation (P<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS:O-GlcNAc modification YTHDF2 promotes bladder cancer development by downregulating the tumor suppressor gene PER1 through m6A-mediated post-transcriptional regulation.
