NOP2-mediated 5-methylcytosine modification of APOL1 messenger RNA activates PI3K-Akt and facilitates clear cell renal cell carcinoma progression

Background: By regulating the functions of multiple RNAs, 5-methylcytosine (m5C) 5 C) RNA methylation, particularly mediated by NOP2, is involved in tumorigenesis and developments. However, the specific functions and potential mechanisms of m5C, 5 C, especially involving NOP2, in clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), remain unclear. Methods: NOP2 expression in cell lines and patient tissues was detected using western blotting, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and immunohistochemistry. The biological effects of NOP2 on ccRCC cells were investigated through a series of in vitro and in vivo experiments. To explore the potential regulatory mechanisms by which NOP2 affects ccRCC progression, m5C 5 C bisulfite sequencing, RNA-sequencing, RNA immunoprecipitation and methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP/MeRIP) RT-qPCR assay, luciferase reporter assay, RNA stability assay, and bioinformatic analysis were performed. Results: NOP2 expression was significantly upregulated in ccRCC tissues and was associated with poor prognosis. Moreover, loss-of-function and gain-of-function assays demonstrated that NOP2 altered ccRCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Mechanistically, NOP2 stimulated m5C 5 C modification of apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) mRNA, and m5C 5 C reader YBX1 stabilized APOL1 mRNA through recognizing and binding to m5C 5 C site in the 3 '-untranslated regions. Silencing APOL1 expression inhibited ccRCC cell proliferation in vitro and tumor formation in vivo. . Furthermore, NOP2/APOL1 affected ccRCC progression via the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Conclusion: NOP2 functions as an oncogene in ccRCC by promoting tumor progression through the m5C-dependent 5 C-dependent stabilization of APOL1, which in turn regulates the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, suggesting a potential therapeutic target for ccRCC.