YTHDC1-mediated VPS25 regulates cell cycle by targeting JAK-STAT signaling in human glioma cells

BACKGROUND: Glioma is a common type of malignant brain tumor with a high mortality and relapse rate. The endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) has been reported to be involved in tumorigenesis. However, the molecular mechanisms have not been clarified. METHODS: Bioinformatics was used to screen the ESCRT subunits highly expressed in glioma tissues from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. The function of the ESCRT subunits in glioma cells was examined in vitro. Transcriptome sequencing analyzed the target genes and signaling pathways affected by the ESCRT subunit. Finally, the relationship between m(6)A (N(6)-methyladenosine) modification and high expression of the ESCRT subunit was studied. RESULTS: VPS25 was upregulated in glioma tissues, which was correlated with poor prognosis in glioma patients. Furthermore, VPS25 knockdown inhibited the proliferation, blocked the cell cycle, and promoted apoptosis in glioma cells. Meanwhile, VPS25 induced a G0/G1 phase arrest of the cell cycle in glioma cells by directly mediating p21, CDK2, and cyclin E expression, and JAK-signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) activation. Finally, YTHDC1 inhibited glioma proliferation by reducing the expression of VPS25. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that VPS25 is a promising prognostic indicator and a potential therapeutic target for glioma. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-021-02304-0.