KIAA1429 facilitates metastasis via m6A-YTHDC1-dependent RND3 down-regulation in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

METTL3-mediated m6A modification promotes chemoresistance of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma by up-regulating NRF2 to inhibit ferroptosis in cisplatin-resistant cells

This study explores the relationship between m6A modification and ferroptosis in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) and its impact on cisplatin resistance. We established cisplatin-resistant cells. CCK-8 and Transwell assays were conducted to evaluate the effects of METTL3 on drug resistance, migration, and invasion. RT-qPCR and Western blotting were used to measure target gene expression and the effects of overexpression and suppression. RIP, luciferase reporter assay, and other experiments were utilized to investigate the interaction between METTL3 and NRF2. Additionally, rescue experiments were performed to confirm the role of the METTL3/NRF2 axis in tumor drug resistance. METTL3 was found to be highly expressed in cisplatin-resistant cells, enhancing m6A modification levels, stabilizing NRF2 mRNA, and increasing NRF2 protein expression to inhibit ferroptosis. These findings indicate that the METTL3/NRF2 axis inhibits ferroptosis in cisplatin-resistant cells, thereby promoting chemotherapy resistance in ICC. This provides a potential direction for future research and treatment of ICC.

N6-Methyladenosine Methyltransferase Component KIAA1429 Is a Potential Target of Cancer Therapy

N6-methyladenosine (m6A), the most abundant RNA modification in eukaryotes, has a crucial impact on tumorigenesis. KIAA1429 is the key component of the m6A methyltransferase complex, in which KIAA1429 functions as a scaffold to bridge the catalytic core proteins. KIAA1429 is often overexpressed in malignances, associated with patient prognosis, and required for tumorigenesis. KIAA1429 regulates the expression of a number of tumor-associated genes in an m6A -dependent manner, and thus, contributes to cell proliferation, migration, drug resistance, tumor formation and metastasis. This review focuses on recent progress in the understanding of roles and mechanisms of KIAA1429 in cancers, and offers ideas for potential anti-cancer therapeutic methods by targeting KIAA1429.

Deciphering a GPCR-lncrna-miRNA nexus: Identification of an aberrant therapeutic target in ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer ranks as a leading cause of mortality among gynecological malignancies, primarily due to the lack of early diagnostic tools, effective targeted therapy, and clear understanding of disease etiology. Previous studies have identified the pivotal role of Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA)-signaling in ovarian cancer pathobiology. Our earlier transcriptomic analysis identified Urothelial Carcinoma Associated-1 (UCA1) as an LPA-stimulated long non-coding RNA (lncRNA). In this study, we elucidate the tripartite interaction between LPA-signaling, UCA1, and let-7 miRNAs in ovarian cancer progression. Results show that the elevated expression of UCA1 enhances cell proliferation, invasive migration, and therapy resistance in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma cells, whereas silencing UCA1 reverses these oncogenic phenotypes. UCA1 expression inversely correlates with survival outcomes and therapy response in ovarian cancer clinical samples, underscoring its prognostic significance. Mechanistically, UCA1 sequesters let-7 miRNAs, effectively neutralizing their tumor-suppressive functions involving key oncogenes such as Ras and c-Myc. More significantly, intratumoral delivery of UCA1-specific siRNAs inhibits the growth of cisplatin-refractory ovarian cancer xenografts, demonstrating the therapeutic potential of targeting LPAR-UCA1-let-7 axis in ovarian cancer. Thus, our results identify LPAR-UCA1-let-7 axis as a novel avenue for targeted treatment strategies.

Regulation of newly identified lysine lactylation in cancer

Metabolic reprogramming is a typical hallmark of cancer. Enhanced glycolysis in tumor cells leads to the accumulation of lactate, which is traditionally considered metabolic waste. With the development of high-resolution liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), the lactate-derived, lysine lactylation(Kla), has been identified. Kla can alter the spatial configuration of chromatin and regulate the expression of corresponding genes. Metabolic reprogramming and epigenetic remodeling have been extensively linked. Accumulating studies have subsequently expanded the framework on the key roles of this protein translational modification (PTM) in tumors and have provided a new concept of cancer-specific regulation by Kla.