ABSTRACT
Objective @#To study the molecular mechanism of fat mass and obesity⁃associated protein (FTO) regulating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) . @*Methods@#HepG2 cells of knock⁃down FTO were constructed , HepG2 cells of knock⁃down FTO and HepG2 cells were collected , and high⁃throughput sequencing was performed using Illumina Hiseq platform to screen the gene expression differences between the two groups . Through GO and KEGG enrichment analysis of these differential genes , FTO regulatory pathways were studied and downstream target genes of FTO were screened . The role of FTO downstream target gene in HCC was revealed by bioinformatic analysis and cell experiments .@*Results@#Transcriptome sequencing showed that 386 genes were differentially expressed between HepG2 cells of knock⁃down FTO and HepG2 cells , and they were involved in biological processes such as response to interferon⁃gamma . The expression of IFIT2 , one of the most responsive interferon⁃stimulating genes , was up⁃regulated after FTO knockdown . Potential m6 A methylation occurred at multiple sites of IFIT2 . The survival of HCC patients with high expression of IFIT2 was significantly prolonged , and knock⁃down of IFIT2 promoted the growth and migration of HepG2 cells . @*Conclusion @#FTO may regulate IFIT2 by mediating m6 A , and further promote the occurrence and development of HCC .