Epitranscriptomic reader YTHDF2 regulates SEK1(MAP2K4)-JNK-cJUN inflammatory signaling in astrocytes during neurotoxic stress

Autor: Emir Malovic, Alyssa Ealy, Cameron Miller, Ahyoung Jang, Phillip J. Hsu, Souvarish Sarkar, Dharmin Rokad, Cody Goeser, Aleah Kristen Hartman, Allen Zhu, Bharathi Palanisamy, Gary Zenitsky, Huajun Jin, Vellareddy Anantharam, Arthi Kanthasamy, Chuan He, Anumantha G. Kanthasamy
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2024
Předmět:
Zdroj: iScience, Vol 27, Iss 9, Pp 110619- (2024)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2589-0042
DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110619
Popis: Summary: As the most abundant glial cells in the central nervous system (CNS), astrocytes dynamically respond to neurotoxic stress, however, the key molecular regulators controlling the inflammatory status of these sentinels during neurotoxic stress are many and complex. Herein, we demonstrate that the m6A epitranscriptomic mRNA modification tightly regulates the pro-inflammatory functions of astrocytes. Specifically, the astrocytic neurotoxic stressor, manganese (Mn), downregulated the m6A reader YTHDF2 in human and mouse astrocyte cultures and in the mouse brain. Functionally, YTHDF2 knockdown augmented, while its overexpression dampened, the neurotoxic stress-induced proinflammatory response, suggesting YTHDF2 serves as a key upstream regulator of inflammatory responses in astrocytes. Mechanistically, YTHDF2 RIP-sequencing identified MAP2K4 (MKK4; SEK1) mRNA as a YTHDF2 target influencing inflammatory signaling. Our target validation revealed that Mn-exposed astrocytes mediate proinflammatory responses by activating the phosphorylation of SEK1, JNK, and cJUN signaling. Collectively, YTHDF2 serves as a key upstream ‘molecular switch’ controlling SEK1(MAP2K4)-JNK-cJUN proinflammatory signaling in astrocytes.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals