Fig. 6. YTHDF2 is essential for the posttranscriptional regulation of ZEB1 by piR-17550/FTO signaling.
A RNA pulldown was performed with biotinylated ZEB1. Immunoblotting of IGF2BP family and YTH family m6A readers in cell lysate, biotinylated full-length ZEB1 and beads only (NC) in MCF-7SN-exo cells. B Immunoblotting of ZEB1 full length (#1), ZEB1 3’UTR region (#2), 3’UTR m6A motif mutant ZEB1 (#3), lysate (Ly) and beads only (NC) by RNA pulldown assay in MCF-7SN-exo and MDA-MB-231SN-exo cells. C RIP assays showing the direct binding between YTHDF2 protein and ZEB1 mRNA in HCT116 and DLD1 cells. Agarose electrophoresis (up) and qPCR analysis (down). D RIP assays demonstrating the enrichment of YTHDF2 protein bound ZEB1 mRNA in shNC versus shFTO MCF-7SN-exo and MDA-MB-231SN-exo cells. E The correlation between YTHDF2 and ZEB1 in breast cancer was analyzed in TCGA. F Expression correlation of YTHDF2 and ZEB1 was analyzed in breast cancer patients (n = 82) using IHC. Scare bars, 100 μm. G Immunoblotting of YTHDF2, FTO and ZEB1 protein levels in MCF-7SN-exo and MDA-MB-231SN-exo cells with shNC, FTO knockdown only (shFTO#1), YTHDF2 knockdown only (shYTHDF2) and both FTO and YTHDF2 knockdown (shFTO + shYTHDF2). Data represent the mean ± SD of at least three independent experiments. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, ns, not significant.