SPAT inhibits LUAD metastasis by targeting SF1-mediated splicing

Abstract Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) progression involves alterations in oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, collectively shaping tumorigenic landscape. However, the precise interactions within this landscape remain inadequately understood. Here, we present a functional characterization of a novel...

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Main Authors: Yun Ma, Xiaoxu Zhou, Mengqian Yu, Xiang Cheng, Juze Yang, Jiayi Ren, Chengcai Zheng, Jia Li, Xinyi Qian, Jiani Yi, Honghe Zhang, Yan Lu, Pengyuan Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2025-08-01
Series:Cell Death and Disease
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-025-07924-2
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author Yun Ma
Xiaoxu Zhou
Mengqian Yu
Xiang Cheng
Juze Yang
Jiayi Ren
Chengcai Zheng
Jia Li
Xinyi Qian
Jiani Yi
Honghe Zhang
Yan Lu
Pengyuan Liu
author_facet Yun Ma
Xiaoxu Zhou
Mengqian Yu
Xiang Cheng
Juze Yang
Jiayi Ren
Chengcai Zheng
Jia Li
Xinyi Qian
Jiani Yi
Honghe Zhang
Yan Lu
Pengyuan Liu
author_sort Yun Ma
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) progression involves alterations in oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, collectively shaping tumorigenic landscape. However, the precise interactions within this landscape remain inadequately understood. Here, we present a functional characterization of a novel long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), SPAT (splice associated transcript). SPAT is downregulated in LUAD and its expression positively correlates with favorable prognosis. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that SPAT inhibits the migration of LUAD cells. This inhibitory effect is mediated by SPAT’s interaction with splicing factor 1 (SF1), which disrupts SF1-mediated splicing of KITLG/SCF exon 6, thereby suppressing ERK phosphorylation. Our findings suggest that SPAT acts as a tumor suppressor in LUAD by regulating alternative splicing and highlight its potential as a therapeutic target for managing LUAD metastasis. SPAT suppresses LUAD cell migration by binding to splicing factor 1 (SF1) and disrupting SF1-mediated inclusion of exon 6 in the KITLG/SCF transcript. This shifts KITLG splicing toward increased production of KITLG-201 isoform and reduced KITLG-205, ultimately lowering ERK phosphorylation and limiting metastatic potential.
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publishDate 2025-08-01
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spelling doaj-art-05e3aafb4c2a41f5b2f1efd73a0b8ed12025-08-20T04:02:50ZengNature Publishing GroupCell Death and Disease2041-48892025-08-0116111310.1038/s41419-025-07924-2SPAT inhibits LUAD metastasis by targeting SF1-mediated splicingYun Ma0Xiaoxu Zhou1Mengqian Yu2Xiang Cheng3Juze Yang4Jiayi Ren5Chengcai Zheng6Jia Li7Xinyi Qian8Jiani Yi9Honghe Zhang10Yan Lu11Pengyuan Liu12Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of MedicineZhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Therapy for Major Gynecological Diseases, Women’s Hospital and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of MedicineZhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Therapy for Major Gynecological Diseases, Women’s Hospital and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of MedicineZhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Therapy for Major Gynecological Diseases, Women’s Hospital and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of MedicineDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of MedicineDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of MedicineZhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Therapy for Major Gynecological Diseases, Women’s Hospital and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of MedicineDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of MedicineDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of MedicineDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of MedicineDepartment of Pathology, Research Unit of Intelligence Classification of Tumor Pathology and Precision Therapy, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhejiang University School of MedicineZhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Therapy for Major Gynecological Diseases, Women’s Hospital and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of MedicineDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of MedicineAbstract Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) progression involves alterations in oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, collectively shaping tumorigenic landscape. However, the precise interactions within this landscape remain inadequately understood. Here, we present a functional characterization of a novel long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), SPAT (splice associated transcript). SPAT is downregulated in LUAD and its expression positively correlates with favorable prognosis. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that SPAT inhibits the migration of LUAD cells. This inhibitory effect is mediated by SPAT’s interaction with splicing factor 1 (SF1), which disrupts SF1-mediated splicing of KITLG/SCF exon 6, thereby suppressing ERK phosphorylation. Our findings suggest that SPAT acts as a tumor suppressor in LUAD by regulating alternative splicing and highlight its potential as a therapeutic target for managing LUAD metastasis. SPAT suppresses LUAD cell migration by binding to splicing factor 1 (SF1) and disrupting SF1-mediated inclusion of exon 6 in the KITLG/SCF transcript. This shifts KITLG splicing toward increased production of KITLG-201 isoform and reduced KITLG-205, ultimately lowering ERK phosphorylation and limiting metastatic potential.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-025-07924-2
spellingShingle Yun Ma
Xiaoxu Zhou
Mengqian Yu
Xiang Cheng
Juze Yang
Jiayi Ren
Chengcai Zheng
Jia Li
Xinyi Qian
Jiani Yi
Honghe Zhang
Yan Lu
Pengyuan Liu
SPAT inhibits LUAD metastasis by targeting SF1-mediated splicing
Cell Death and Disease
title SPAT inhibits LUAD metastasis by targeting SF1-mediated splicing
title_full SPAT inhibits LUAD metastasis by targeting SF1-mediated splicing
title_fullStr SPAT inhibits LUAD metastasis by targeting SF1-mediated splicing
title_full_unstemmed SPAT inhibits LUAD metastasis by targeting SF1-mediated splicing
title_short SPAT inhibits LUAD metastasis by targeting SF1-mediated splicing
title_sort spat inhibits luad metastasis by targeting sf1 mediated splicing
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-025-07924-2
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