METTL16 accelerates lung adenocarcinoma progression by inducing N6-methyladenosine modification of GTSE1 to regulate p53 pathway and cell cycle

Abstract Background METTL16 has recently emerged as an N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methyltransferase that serves an integral role in tumor regulation. However, its involvement in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains unexamined. This investigation aims to explore METTL16’s role and mechanism in LUAD progr...

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Main Authors: Fang Liu, Sheng Jin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-05-01
Series:Cell Division
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13008-025-00156-y
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author Fang Liu
Sheng Jin
author_facet Fang Liu
Sheng Jin
author_sort Fang Liu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background METTL16 has recently emerged as an N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methyltransferase that serves an integral role in tumor regulation. However, its involvement in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains unexamined. This investigation aims to explore METTL16’s role and mechanism in LUAD progression. Methods The expression of METTL16 and G2 and S phase-expressed-1 (GTSE1) in LUAD was evaluated by qRT-PCR or western blotting. LUAD cell malignancy was checked by CCK-8, wound healing, and transwell invasion assays. The relationship among METTL16 and GTSE1 was determined via Pearson correlation analysis and MeRIP assay. The p53 pathway-related proteins were detected by western blotting, and cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry. Results METTL16 was elevated in LUAD, and its silencing significantly reduced LUAD cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. GTSE1 was significantly downregulated upon silencing METTL16. Furthermore, increased levels of GTSE1 mRNA and protein were found in LUAD, and it was correlated positively with METTL16 in LUAD tissues. The stability of GTSE1 was modulated by METTL16 in an m6A-dependent way, and GTSE1 overexpression partially rescued the suppressive effects METTL16 silencing on LUAD cells. In addition, GTSE1 overexpression also inhibited p53 pathway to promote LUAD cell cycle. Conclusions These results indicate that METTL16-mediated m6A modification of GTSE1 accelerates LUAD progression by regulating p53 pathway and cell cycle. The aforementioned findings suggest METTL16 and GTSE1 may serve as potential targets for LUAD management.
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spelling doaj-art-acf53ba444c54e309ea4cb795e959e1c2025-08-20T03:08:43ZengBMCCell Division1747-10282025-05-0120111310.1186/s13008-025-00156-yMETTL16 accelerates lung adenocarcinoma progression by inducing N6-methyladenosine modification of GTSE1 to regulate p53 pathway and cell cycleFang Liu0Sheng Jin1Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Hubei No. 3, People’s Hospital of Jianghan UniversityDepartment of Nephrology, Rheumatology and Immunology, Hubei No. 3, People’s Hospital of Jianghan UniversityAbstract Background METTL16 has recently emerged as an N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methyltransferase that serves an integral role in tumor regulation. However, its involvement in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains unexamined. This investigation aims to explore METTL16’s role and mechanism in LUAD progression. Methods The expression of METTL16 and G2 and S phase-expressed-1 (GTSE1) in LUAD was evaluated by qRT-PCR or western blotting. LUAD cell malignancy was checked by CCK-8, wound healing, and transwell invasion assays. The relationship among METTL16 and GTSE1 was determined via Pearson correlation analysis and MeRIP assay. The p53 pathway-related proteins were detected by western blotting, and cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry. Results METTL16 was elevated in LUAD, and its silencing significantly reduced LUAD cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. GTSE1 was significantly downregulated upon silencing METTL16. Furthermore, increased levels of GTSE1 mRNA and protein were found in LUAD, and it was correlated positively with METTL16 in LUAD tissues. The stability of GTSE1 was modulated by METTL16 in an m6A-dependent way, and GTSE1 overexpression partially rescued the suppressive effects METTL16 silencing on LUAD cells. In addition, GTSE1 overexpression also inhibited p53 pathway to promote LUAD cell cycle. Conclusions These results indicate that METTL16-mediated m6A modification of GTSE1 accelerates LUAD progression by regulating p53 pathway and cell cycle. The aforementioned findings suggest METTL16 and GTSE1 may serve as potential targets for LUAD management.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13008-025-00156-yMETTL16M6A modificationLung adenocarcinomaGTSE1P53 pathwayCell cycle
spellingShingle Fang Liu
Sheng Jin
METTL16 accelerates lung adenocarcinoma progression by inducing N6-methyladenosine modification of GTSE1 to regulate p53 pathway and cell cycle
Cell Division
METTL16
M6A modification
Lung adenocarcinoma
GTSE1
P53 pathway
Cell cycle
title METTL16 accelerates lung adenocarcinoma progression by inducing N6-methyladenosine modification of GTSE1 to regulate p53 pathway and cell cycle
title_full METTL16 accelerates lung adenocarcinoma progression by inducing N6-methyladenosine modification of GTSE1 to regulate p53 pathway and cell cycle
title_fullStr METTL16 accelerates lung adenocarcinoma progression by inducing N6-methyladenosine modification of GTSE1 to regulate p53 pathway and cell cycle
title_full_unstemmed METTL16 accelerates lung adenocarcinoma progression by inducing N6-methyladenosine modification of GTSE1 to regulate p53 pathway and cell cycle
title_short METTL16 accelerates lung adenocarcinoma progression by inducing N6-methyladenosine modification of GTSE1 to regulate p53 pathway and cell cycle
title_sort mettl16 accelerates lung adenocarcinoma progression by inducing n6 methyladenosine modification of gtse1 to regulate p53 pathway and cell cycle
topic METTL16
M6A modification
Lung adenocarcinoma
GTSE1
P53 pathway
Cell cycle
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13008-025-00156-y
work_keys_str_mv AT fangliu mettl16accelerateslungadenocarcinomaprogressionbyinducingn6methyladenosinemodificationofgtse1toregulatep53pathwayandcellcycle
AT shengjin mettl16accelerateslungadenocarcinomaprogressionbyinducingn6methyladenosinemodificationofgtse1toregulatep53pathwayandcellcycle