IDH1/2 mutants inhibit TET-promoted oxidation of RNA 5mC to 5hmC

Abstract

TETs (TET1/2/3) play critical roles in multi cellular processes through DNA demethylation driven by oxidation of DNA 5mdC to 5hmdC. Interestingly, recent studies indicated that TETs also oxidate RNA 5mC to 5hmC. However, little is known about the distribution of RNA 5hmC and the regulatory mechanism of RNA 5hmC in human. Here, we show that 5hmC is enriched in mRNA, and IDH1/2 mutants inhibit TET-promoted oxidation of RNA 5mC to 5hmC. Since IDH1/2 mutations have been described to block the DNA oxidative activity of TETs, we hypothesized that IDH1/2 mutations might also inhibit the RNA oxidative activity of TETs. To evaluate the role of IDH1/2 mutations in RNA 5hmC, TETs with/without IDH1/2 mutants were overexpressed in human HEK293 cells. Resultant DNA and RNA were digested and analyzed by triple-quadrupole LC mass spectrometer. DNA 5hmdC and RNA 5hmC modifications were quantified with external calibration curves of appropriate standards. It was found that compared with total RNA (5hmC/C: less than 2 X 10-7), mRNA showed much higher 5hmC level (5hmC/C:∼7 X 10-6). Further study indicated that IDH1/2 mutants showed significant ability to inhibit TET-promoted RNA5hmC. Consistent with this result, overexpression of IDH1/2 mutants also inhibited TET catalytic domain-promoted oxidation of RNA. In this study, we show not only the enrichment of 5hmC in mRNA, but also a regulatory mechanism of RNA 5hmC-IDH1/2 mutations inhibit TET-promoted RNA 5hmC, which suggests an involvement of IDH1/2 mutations in tumorigenesis through the deregulation of RNA biology.