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Novel insights into roles of N6-methyladenosine reader YTHDF2 in cancer progression

  • Review – Cancer Research
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Abstract

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant RNA modification. M6A RNA methylation is reversible: m6A is installed by “writers”, removed by “erasers”, and recognized by “readers”. Readers are executors to regulate RNA metabolism by recognizing specific m6A sites, including RNA splicing, export, translation and decay. YTHDF2 is the first identified m6A reader protein. YTHDF2 interacts with m6A-containing transcripts to accelerate the degradation process and regulate various biological processes, such as viral infection, stem cell development and cancer progression. Although there are some reviews about m6A modification in physiological and pathological processes, few reviews focus on roles of YTHDF2 in cancers to date. Therefore, in this review, we attempted to systematically summarize m6A reader protein YTHDF2: its structure, mechanisms in regulating RNA metabolism, roles in cancer progression and potential application for cancer treatment, which might inspire new ideas for m6A research in cancers and provide novel insights into cancer treatment.

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Availability of data and materials

The material supporting the conclusion of this review has been included within the article.

Abbreviations

3’UTR::

3’Untranslated regions

ALKBH5::

α-Ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase homolog 5

AML::

Acute myeloid leukemia

BC::

Bladder cancer

CCND1::

Cyclin D1

CCR4-NOT::

Carbon catabolite regression 4-negative on TATA-less

CDS::

Coding region

CRC::

Colorectal cancer

DAPK3::

Death-associated protein kinase-3

EEC::

Endometrioid endometrial cancer

eIF4G1::

Eukaryotic translation initiation factor gamma 1

EMT::

Epithelial–mesenchymal transition

ESCC::

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

FBW7::

F-box and WD repeat domain-containing 7

FTO::

Fat mass and obesity-associated protein

GBM::

Glioblastoma

GC::

Gastric cancer

GSC::

Glioblastoma stem cell

GSK3B::

Glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta

HCC::

Hepatocellular carcinoma

HIF1α::

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1α

HNRNPG::

Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein G

HRE::

Hypoxia-response element

HRSP12::

Heat-responsive protein 12

HSCs::

Hematopoietic stem cells

IGF2BPs::

Insulin-like growth factor-2 mRNA-binding proteins

IL11::

Interleukin 11

IRS1::

Insulin receptor substrate 1

KLF4::

Kruppel-like factor 4

LCD::

Low complexity domain

LncRNAs::

Long noncoding RNAs

LSCs::

Leukemia stem cells

LUAD::

Lung adenocarcinoma

m6A::

N6-methyladenosine

METTL3::

Methyltransferase-like 3

MTX::

Methyltransferase complex

ncRNAs::

Noncoding RNAs

NEAT1::

Nuclear-enriched abundant transcript 1

NK cells::

Natural killer cells

NSCLC::

Non-small-cell lung cancer

OSCC::

Oral squamous cell carcinoma

P bodies::

MRNA-processing bodies

PC::

Prostate cancer

PRSS23::

Serine protease 23

PTC::

Papillary thyroid carcinoma

R-2HG::

R-2-hydroxyglutarate

RBD::

RNA-binding domain

RBM15::

RNA-binding motif protein 15

RCC::

Renal cell carcinoma

RFS::

Relapse-free survival

SCF::

Skp1-Cullin-F-box

SERPINE2::

Serpin family E member 2

SETD7::

SET domain containing 7

SH::

Superfamily homology

siRNA::

Small interference RNA

SOX4::

SRY-related high-mobility-group box 4

SSTR2::

Somatostatin receptor 2

TAN::

Tumor-associated neutrophil

TKIs::

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors

TNBC::

Triple-negative breast cancer

TNFRSF1B::

Tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 1B

WTAP::

WT1-associated protein

XIST::

X inactivate-specific transcript

YTH::

YT521-B homology

YTH-YTHDF2::

YTH domain of human YTHDF2

ZC3H13::

Zinc finger CCCH-type containing 13

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Funding

This article is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81922003).

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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. RL and YCJ drafted the manuscript. ALH and GYK edited and revised the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Aili He.

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The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Liu, R., Jia, Y., Kong, G. et al. Novel insights into roles of N6-methyladenosine reader YTHDF2 in cancer progression. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 148, 2215–2230 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-022-04134-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-022-04134-7

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