Downregulation of the FTO m⁶A RNA demethylase promotes EMT-mediated progression of epithelial tumors and sensitivity to Wnt inhibitors.

ABSTRACT: Post-transcriptional modifications of RNA constitute an emerging regulatory layer of gene expression. The demethylase fat mass- and obesity-associated protein (FTO), an eraser of N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A), has been shown to play a role in cancer, but its contribution to tumor progression and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we report widespread FTO downregulation in epithelial cancers associated with increased invasion, metastasis and worse clinical outcome. Both in vitro and in vivo, FTO silencing promotes cancer growth, cell motility and invasion. In human-derived tumor xenografts (PDXs), FTO pharmacological inhibition favors tumorigenesis. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that FTO depletion elicits an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program

SUBMITTER: Jeschke J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10734094 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature