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Discover Oncology
Published in: Discover Oncology 1/2023

Open Access 01-12-2023 | Pancreatic Cancer | Research

Celastrol suppresses human pancreatic cancer via m6A-YTHDF3-mediated downregulation of Claspin and Bcl-2

Authors: Yang Zhou, Haoran Zhuang, Yuxiang Liu, Jing Yin, Xiaoying Wei, Yue Qiu, Zhen Tian, Tingyu Miao, Jing Chen, Peifen Li, Xiao Xu, Wenjuan Wu, Huanan Li, Weigan Shen

Published in: Discover Oncology | Issue 1/2023

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Abstract

Background

Celastrol has been revealed to exhibit anticancer pharmacological activity, however, the molecular mechanisms of celastrol involved in pancreatic cancer remain to be further elucidated. The present study was to illustrate whether celastrol suppresses pancreatic cancer through modulating RNA m6A modification.

Methods

Effect of celastrol treatment on the malignant phenotypes of pancreatic cancer cells was evaluated by CCK-8 assay, EdU assay, colony formation assay, flow cytometry analysis and subcutaneous xenograft experiments. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis was carried out to analyze the genes differentially expressed in celastrol-treated pancreatic cancer cells. RT-qPCR, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry were employed to evaluate the expression of the indicated genes. RNA dot blot and quantification of total RNA m6A modification assays, MeRIP-qPCR assay, RIP-qPCR assay, RNA stability and protein stability assays were applied to evaluate the regulatory mechanism of celastrol treatment in pancreatic cancer cells.

Results

We demonstrated that celastrol suppressed cell proliferation and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells in vitro, and decreased tumor growth in vivo. Specifically, Bcl-2, Claspin, METTL3 and YTHDF3 were identified as the potential targets of celastrol treatment in pancreatic cancer cells. Moreover, our results indicated that celastrol treatment downregulated METTL3 and decreased m6A levels of Claspin and Bcl-2 mRNA, leading to the degradation of Claspin and Bcl-2 mRNA in pancreatic cancer cells. Furthermore, we revealed that celastrol treatment downregulated Claspin and Bcl-2, at least in part, in an m6A-YTHDF3-mediated manner in pancreatic cancer cells.

Conclusion

Our study highlighted a novel mechanism underlying celastrol-induced cellular proliferation inhibition and apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells via m6A-YTHDF3-mediated downregulation of Claspin and Bcl-2.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Celastrol suppresses human pancreatic cancer via m6A-YTHDF3-mediated downregulation of Claspin and Bcl-2
Authors
Yang Zhou
Haoran Zhuang
Yuxiang Liu
Jing Yin
Xiaoying Wei
Yue Qiu
Zhen Tian
Tingyu Miao
Jing Chen
Peifen Li
Xiao Xu
Wenjuan Wu
Huanan Li
Weigan Shen
Publication date
01-12-2023
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Discover Oncology / Issue 1/2023
Print ISSN: 1868-8497
Electronic ISSN: 2730-6011
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-023-00838-5

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