EGFR promotes ALKBH5 nuclear retention to attenuate N6-methyladenosine and protect against ferroptosis in glioblastoma

Abstract

Growth factor receptors rank among the most important oncogenic pathways, but pharmacologic inhibitors often demonstrate limited benefit as monotherapy. Here, we show that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling repressed N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A) levels in glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs), whereas genetic or pharmacologic EGFR targeting elevated m⁶A levels. Activated EGFR induced non-receptor tyrosine kinase SRC to phosphorylate the m⁶A demethylase, AlkB homolog 5 (ALKBH5), thereby inhibiting chromosomal maintenance 1 (CRM1)-mediated nuclear export of ALKBH5 to permit sustained mRNA m⁶A demethylation in the nucleus. ALKBH5 critically regulated ferroptosis through m⁶A modulation and YTH N6-methyladenosine RNA binding protein (YTHDF2)-mediated decay of the glutamate-cysteine ligase modifier subunit (GCLM). Pharmacologic targeting of ALKBH5 augmented the anti-tumor efficacy of EGFR and GCLM inhibitors, supporting an EGFR-ALKBH5-GCLM oncogenic axis. Collectively, EGFR reprograms the epitranscriptomic landscape through nuclear retention of the ALKBH5 demethylase to protect against ferroptosis, offering therapeutic paradigms for the treatment of lethal cancers.

Keywords: ALKBH5; EGFR; GCLM; SRC; YTHDF2; cancer stem cell; ferroptosis; glioblastoma; glioblastoma stem cell; m(6)A.