Mutant NPM1-Regulated FTO-Mediated m6A Demethylation Promotes Leukemic Cell Survival via PDGFRB/ERK Signaling Axis

Abstract

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with nucleophosmin 1 (NPM1) mutations exhibits distinct biological and clinical features, accounting for approximately one-third of AML. Recently, the N ⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A) RNA modification has emerged as a new epigenetic modification to contribute to tumorigenesis and development. However, there is limited knowledge on the role of m⁶A modifications in NPM1-mutated AML. In this study, the decreased m⁶A level was first detected and high expression of fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) was responsible for the m⁶A suppression in NPM1-mutated AML. FTO upregulation was partially induced by NPM1 mutation type A (NPM1-mA) through impeding the proteasome pathway. Importantly, FTO promoted leukemic cell survival by facilitating cell cycle and inhibiting cell apoptosis. Mechanistic investigations demonstrated that FTO depended on its m⁶A RNA demethylase activity to activate PDGFRB/ERK signaling axis. Our findings indicate that FTO-mediated m⁶A demethylation plays an oncogenic role in NPM1-mutated AML and provide a new layer of epigenetic insight for future treatments of this distinctly leukemic entity.

Keywords: ERK cascade; FTO; N6-methyladenosine; PDGFRB; acute myeloid leukemia; nucleophosmin 1.