FTO promotes the progression of bladder cancer via demethylating m⁶A modifications in PTPN6 mRNA

Bladder cancer (BC), a highly prevalent malignancy of the urinary system, necessitates further investigation into its progression mechanisms. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation, a prevalent modification in cellular RNA, has been implicated in the tumorigenesis and metastasis of various cancers. In this study, the upregulation of FTO in human BC samples and its association with poor prognosis were demonstrated using immunohistochemistry (IHC) on tissue sections collected from BC patients. The functional role of FTO in promoting the proliferation and metastasis abilities of BC cells was determined using a combination of in vitro and in vivo assays. In vitro, we conducted cell proliferation assays, such as the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, and metastasis assays, including the wound healing assay and transwell invasion assay. In vivo, we employed xenograft models to assess tumor growth and metastasis. Furthermore, our investigation into potential FTO targets in BC cells revealed that FTO modifies PTPN6 mRNA, leading to increased stability and expression of PTPN6, thereby enhancing proliferation and metastasis abilities. In conclusion, our findings indicate that FTO serves as an oncogenic factor in BC, suggesting its potential utility as a diagnostic or prognostic biomarker for bladder cancer.