Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) is an enzyme that catalyzes transfer of methyl groups from S-adenosyl methionine to the arginine residues of histones or nonhistone proteins and is involved in a variety of cellular processes. Although it is highly expressed in some tumors, its direct role in cancer growth has not been fully investigated. In this study, in human lung tissue samples, we found that PRMT5 was highly expressed in lung cancer cells whereas its expression was not detectable in benign lung tissues. Silencing PRMT5 expression strongly inhibited proliferation of lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells in tissue culture, and silencing PRMT5 expression in A549 cells also abolished growth of lung A549 xenografts in mice. In vitro and in vivo studies showed that the cell growth arrest induced by loss of PRMT5 expression was partially attributable to downregulation of fibroblast growth factor receptor signaling. These results suggest that PRMT5 and its methyltransferase activity is essential for proliferation of lung cancer cells and may serve as a novel target for the treatment of lung cancer.

The cytokines interleukin (IL)-6, IL-11, ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), leukemia inhibitor factor (LIF), oncostatin M (OSM) and probably the recently cloned cytokine cardiotrophin-1, signal, in combination with their specific receptors, through the common signal transducer gp130. Here, we report that the signaling activities of IL-6, IL-11, CNTF and OSM/LIF can be specifically blocked by different anti-gp130 monoclonal antibodies (mAb). Furthermore, we found two mAb, B-P8 and B-S12, which directly activate gp130 independently of the presence of cytokines or their receptors. This agonistic activity includes induction of cytokine-dependent cell proliferation and stimulation of acute-phase protein synthesis in liver cells. Compared to B-P8 mAb, the B-S12 mAb exhibited the strongest agonistic activity, while both mAb are synergistic in their action. This activity could not be blocked by inhibiting mAb against IL-6 and the IL-6 receptor. In contrast to F(ab')2 of B-S12 which still could activate gp130, Fab fragments completely lost their agonistic activity. Activation by tyrosine phosphorylation of the transcription factors Stat1 and APRF/Stat3 was also induced by B-S12 and B-P8, suggesting that both mAb induce homodimerization of gp130. Since hematopoietic stem cells express gp130 on their plasma membrane, it was anticipated that the agonistic anti-gp130 mAb could stimulate the proliferation of these stem cells. Indeed, B-S12 and B-P8 were able to stimulate CD34+ cells. In summary, our data show for the first time that mAb against gp130 can specifically block the action of distinct IL-6-type cytokines that signal through gp130. Such mAb might be of great value for therapeutic applications in diseases where a single cytokine action needs to be inhibited. In addition, the agonistic gp130 mAb may be used as growth factors for maintenance and expansion of stem cells prior to grafting.

Rationale: N6-methyladenosine (m 6 A) mRNA methylation is the most abundant chemical posttranscriptional modification in mRNA and is involved in the regulation of a number of biological processes. Insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1) has recently been reported as having the capacity to recognize m 6 A sites in mRNA and plays a role in regulating mRNA metabolization. However, it is unclear which genes IGF2BP1 targets to identify m 6 A sites and what are their respective functions in endometrial cancer (EC). Methods: Quantitative PCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry were used to measure IGF2BP1 expression in EC cell lines and tissues. Xenograft experiments were performed to examine the in vivo role of IGF2BP1 in EC cell growth. RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation sequencing, methylated RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation sequencing and RNA-sequencing were also conducted to identify potential IGF2BP1 targets involved in EC regulation. Co-immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry were used to identify IGF2BP1-interacting proteins. Results: IGF2BP1 expression increased in EC, and high expression of this protein correlated with poor prognosis. IGF2BP1 overexpression/knockdown can promote (and inhibit) cell proliferation and regulate the tumor cell cycle and cancer progression, both in vivo and in vitro . Mechanistically, IGF2BP1 can recognize m 6 A sites in the 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) of Paternally Expressed Gene 10 (PEG10) mRNA and recruits polyadenylate-binding protein 1 (PABPC1) to enhance PEG10 mRNA stability, which consequently promotes PEG10 protein expression. Additionally, it would appear that a large number of PEG10 proteins bind p16 and p18 gene promoter sequences, thereby repressing expression and accelerating the cell cycle. Conclusion: This investigation found that IGF2BP1 has a crucial role in the m 6 A-dependent regulatory mechanism for endometrial cancer. This study provides new insights into our understanding of disease progression and provides another potential route for understanding biological functions.