Chen Ziwei, Guo Yingyu, Zhang Zaifeng, Li Chang, Zhang Lili, Liu Ye, Sun Gaoyuan, Xiao Fei, Feng Ru, Zhang Chunli
The Key Laboratory of Geriatrics, Beijing Institute of Geriatrics, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing Hospital/National Center of Gerontology of National Health Commission, Beijing, China.
Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
Mol Carcinog. 2025 Mar;64(3):502-512. doi: 10.1002/mc.23864. Epub 2024 Dec 17.
The DNA demethylating therapy with azacitidine (AZA) is a promising therapeutic strategy for elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). AZA primarily inhibits DNA methylation, promotes cell differentiation and apoptosis in AML. However, as a cytosine nucleoside analog, AZA also has the potential to be incorporated into RNA molecules. To assess the impact of AZA on RNA m5C methylation during demethylating therapy, we conducted Nanopore direct-RNA sequencing on samples from three AML patients pre and after demethylating therapy, as well as on HL-60 cells pretreated with AZA. We performed an integrated analysis of the transcriptome and the m5C methylome, contrasting the states of complete remission with those of active disease (AML). Our results revealed an extensive demethylation effect at the RNA level attributable to AZA and found that mRNA m5C modification may play a pivotal role in the progression of AML. Additionally, S100P was identified as a biomarker with significant prognostic implications. We also conducted a conjoint analysis of the transcriptome and the m5C methylome of the full-length transcripts, uncovering several dysregulated mRNA isoforms. Collectively, our findings indicate that mRNA m5C methylation is implicated during AML progression, and AZA exhibits an overall suppressive effect on this process.
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