N6-methyladenosine (m6A) reader IGF2BP2 promotes gastric cancer progression via targeting SIRT1

N-6-methyladenosine (m(6)A) modification acts as the most prevalent internal modification in eukaryotic mRNA. Emerging evidence shows the critical biological roles of m(6)A key enzymes in human cancers. However, the roles of m(6)A binding protein IGF2BP2 in gastric cancer (GC) progression are still unclear. In this study, we confirmed that IGF2BP2 was highly expressed in GC cell lines and tumor tissues. Knocking down of IGF2BP2 suppressed cell proliferation and migration, and repressed xenograft tumor growth in vivo, while IGF2BP2 overexpression promoted the proliferation and migration. Mechanistically, we identified that IGF2BP2 regulated GC the proliferation/migration through recognizing the m(6)A modification sites of SIRT1 mRNA. In general, our findings demonstrated a novel regulatory mechanism that IGF2BP2/SIRT1 axis modulated GC progression in an m(6)A-dependent manner, suggesting that m(6)A may be a therapeutic target for GC.

Automated summary

This study confirmed the high expression of IGF2BP2 in gastric cancer cell lines and tumor tissues, and identified its role in regulating the proliferation and migration of gastric cancer through recognition of the m(6)A modification sites of SIRT1 mRNA.