1. Benzo[a]pyrene-induced up-regulation of circ_0003552 via ALKBH5-mediated m6A modification promotes DNA damage in human bronchial epithelial cells.
- Author
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Yao, Shuwei, Chen, Xintong, Hu, Ningdong, Zhang, Nan, Qiu, Miaoyun, Jia, Yangyang, Zhang, Han, Liang, Jihuan, Chen, Zehao, Zheng, Liting, Zhu, Jialu, Mao, Rulin, and Jiang, Yiguo
- Subjects
BENZOPYRENE ,DNA damage ,CIRCULAR RNA ,DNA adducts ,EPITHELIAL cells ,HUMAN DNA ,WESTERN immunoblotting ,RNA methylation - Abstract
Benzo [a]pyrene (B [a]P) is a widespread environmental chemical pollutant that has been linked to the development of various diseases. However, the specific mechanism of action remains unclear. In this study, human bronchial epithelial 16HBE and BEAS-2B cells were exposed to B [a]P at 0–32 μM to assess the DNA-damaging effects. B [a]P exposure resulted in elevated expression of γ-H2AX, a marker of DNA damage. The m
6 A RNA methylation assay showed that B [a]P exposure increased the extent of m6 A modification and the demethylase ALKBH5 played an integral role in this process. Moreover, the results of the comet assay and Western blot analysis showed an increase in m6 A modification mediated by ALKBH5 that promoted DNA damage. Furthermore, the participation of a novel circular RNA, circ_0003552, was assessed by high-throughput sequencing under the condition of high m6 A modification induced by B [a]P exposure. In subsequent functional studies, an interference/overexpression system was created to confirm that circ_0003552 participated in regulation of DNA damage. Mechanistically, circ_0003552 had an m6 A binding site that could regulate its generation. This study is the first to report that B [a]P upregulated circ_0003552 through m6 A modification, thereby promoting DNA damage. These findings revealed that epigenetics played a key role in environmental carcinogen-induced DNA damage, and the quantitative changes it brought might provide an early biomarker for future medical studies of genetic-related diseases and a new platform for investigations of the interaction between epigenetics and genetics. [Display omitted] • B [a]P induces DNA damage in bronchial epithelial cells. • B [a]P upregulates the degree of m6 A modification by suppressing ALKBH5 expression. • Both ALKBH5 and circ_0003552 can regulate the B [a]P-induced DNA damage. • M6 A modification promotes circ_0003552 production through the m6 A binding site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2023
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