): Background: The identification of FTO as the first N6-methyladenosine RNA demethylase have spurred immense interest in study of the regulatory functions of m6A modifications. Despite the critical impacts of the m6A modifications in various fundamental biological processes, the function (and molecular mechanism) of FTO in cancers, such as acute myeloid leukemia (AML), has yet to be studied. AML is one of the most common and fatal forms of hematopoietic malignancies. Despite the improved risk stratifications and treatment- adapted strategies, >70% of AML patients cannot survive over 5 years due to drug resistance. Thus, it is critical to better understand molecular mechanisms underlying pathogenesis and drug response of AML, which may lead to the development of effective novel therapeutic strategies to treat AML. Our data suggest that FTO likely plays a critical oncogenic role in the pathogenesis of MLL-rearranged AML and in drug response of t(15;17) AML. We show that FTO is highly expressed in AMLs carrying t(11q23)/MLL-rearrangements, t(15;17), NPM1 mutations and/or FLT3-ITD, namely FTO-high AMLs, which are more sensitive to all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) and/or arsenic trioxide (ATO) treatment than the other AML subtypes. ATRA/ATO-based differentiation therapy has transformed t(15;17) AML from a highly fatal disease to a highly curable one. However, the role of FTO and the underlying molecular mechanism in the pathogenesis and drug response of FTO-high AMLs are elusive. Objective/Hypothesis: We hypothesize that FTO, as a major m6A eraser, plays a critical role in both pathogenesis and drug response of FTO-high AMLs through epigenetically regulating expression of its targets.
Specific Aims : (1) To determine the role of FTO in both development and maintenance of FTO-high AMLs; (2) To identify critical direct targets of FTO and the regulatory mechanism(s) in FTO-high AMLs; and (3) To determine the role and underlying mechanism of FTO in the response of FTO-high AMLs to ATRA and/or ATO treatment. Study Design: 1) We will use the Fto knockout model coupled with mouse bone marrow transplantation (BMT) leukemia models to investigate the pathological function of FTO in both development and maintenance of various subtypes of FTO-high AMLs and in the self-renewal of relevant leukemia stem/initiating cells (LSCs/LICs). 2) We will identify critical direct target genes of FTO by integrating m6A distribution data with FTO-RNA interaction data, and will decipher the molecular mechanism(s) by which FTO post-transcriptionally regulates expression of its direct target genes, followed by functional studies of the top candidate targets of FTO in the pathogenesis of FTO-high AMLs. 3) We will use both mouse BMT leukemia models and patient- derived xeno-transplantation models to determine the role and underlying molecular mechanism of FTO in the response of FTO-high AMLs to ATRA and/or ATO treatment. The critical target genes of FTO and relevant pathways that are responsible for the response of FTO-high AMLs to ATRA and/or ATO treatment will be identified.

Public Health Relevance

The major goal of this proposal is to investigate the role and underlying mechanism of FTO, a major N6- methyladenosine (m6A) demethylase (?eraser?), in the pathogenesis and drug response of various major subtypes of acute myeloid leukemias (AMLs; one of the most common and fatal types of hematopoietic malignancies) that have a relatively high abundance of FTO expression. Thus, the success of this project will provide profound novel insights into the biological functions of m6A modification and the critical components of the m6A machineries (e.g., FTO) in leukemogenesis and drug response, and may also lead to the development of novel therapeutic strategies to treat such AMLs. Therefore, our project is of great significance in both basic research and translational research.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01CA214965-01
Application #
9285446
Study Section
Molecular Oncogenesis Study Section (MONC)
Program Officer
Mufson, R Allan
Project Start
2017-04-01
Project End
2022-03-31
Budget Start
2017-04-01
Budget End
2018-03-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2017
Total Cost
$412,442
Indirect Cost
$135,621
Name
University of Cincinnati
Department
Anatomy/Cell Biology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
041064767
City
Cincinnati
State
OH
Country
United States
Zip Code
45221
Wei, Jiangbo; Liu, Fange; Lu, Zhike et al. (2018) Differential m6A, m6Am, and m1A Demethylation Mediated by FTO in the Cell Nucleus and Cytoplasm. Mol Cell 71:973-985.e5
Jiang, Xi; Hu, Chao; Ferchen, Kyle et al. (2018) Author Correction: Targeted inhibition of STAT/TET1 axis as a therapeutic strategy for acute myeloid leukemia. Nat Commun 9:670
Huang, Huilin; Weng, Hengyou; Sun, Wenju et al. (2018) Recognition of RNA N6-methyladenosine by IGF2BP proteins enhances mRNA stability and translation. Nat Cell Biol 20:285-295
Weng, Hengyou; Huang, Huilin; Wu, Huizhe et al. (2018) METTL14 Inhibits Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Differentiation and Promotes Leukemogenesis via mRNA m6A Modification. Cell Stem Cell 22:191-205.e9
Deng, Xiaolan; Su, Rui; Weng, Hengyou et al. (2018) RNA N6-methyladenosine modification in cancers: current status and perspectives. Cell Res 28:507-517
Deng, Xiaolan; Su, Rui; Stanford, Savanna et al. (2018) Critical Enzymatic Functions of FTO in Obesity and Cancer. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 9:396
Su, Rui; Dong, Lei; Li, Chenying et al. (2018) R-2HG Exhibits Anti-tumor Activity by Targeting FTO/m6A/MYC/CEBPA Signaling. Cell 172:90-105.e23
Deng, Xiaolan; Su, Rui; Feng, Xuesong et al. (2018) Role of N6-methyladenosine modification in cancer. Curr Opin Genet Dev 48:1-7
Jiang, Xi; Hu, Chao; Ferchen, Kyle et al. (2017) Targeted inhibition of STAT/TET1 axis as a therapeutic strategy for acute myeloid leukemia. Nat Commun 8:2099
Li, Zejuan; Weng, Hengyou; Su, Rui et al. (2017) FTO Plays an Oncogenic Role in Acute Myeloid Leukemia as a N6-Methyladenosine RNA Demethylase. Cancer Cell 31:127-141

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