Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38965238›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2024

Unraveling the independent role of METTL3 in m6A modification and tumor progression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Bin Du, Pu Wang, Lingyu Wei, Kai Qin, Zhen Pei, Jinping Zheng, Jia Wang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. Inhibition ofACS omega · 2025
    Article
  5. mEpigenomes · 2025
    Review
  6. Inhibition ofbioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2025
    Article
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Bin DuCenter of Healthy Aging, Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, 047500, China.
Pu WangCenter of Healthy Aging, Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, 047500, China.
Lingyu WeiCentral Laboratory of Clinical Research, Heping Hospital Affiliated to Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, 047500, China.
Kai QinCenter of Healthy Aging, Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, 047500, China.
Zhen PeiDepartment of Physiology, Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, 047500, China.
Jinping ZhengCenter of Healthy Aging, Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, 047500, China.
Jia WangCenter of Healthy Aging, Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, 047500, China. czmcwj@czmc.edu.cn.

Funding

National natural science foundation of China 32000665Technology Commission Foundation of Shanxi Province 20210302124091Technology Commission Foundation of Shanxi Province 20210302124292Technology Commission Foundation of Shanxi Province 20210302124296
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

METTL3 and METTL14 are traditionally posited to assemble the m6A methyltransferase complex in a stoichiometric 1:1 ratio, modulating mRNA fate via m6A modifications. Nevertheless, recent investigations reveal inconsistent expression levels and prognostic significance of METTL3 and METTL14 across various tumor types, challenging their consistent functional engagement in neoplastic contexts. A pan-cancer analysis leveraging The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data has identified pronounced disparities in the expression patterns, functional roles, and correlations with tumor burden between METTL3 and METTL14, particularly in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Knockdown experiments of METTL3 in EC109 cells markedly suppress cell proliferation both in vitro and in vivo, whereas METTL14 knockdown shows a comparatively muted effect on proliferation and does not significantly alter METTL3 protein levels. mRNA sequencing indicates that METTL3 singularly governs the expression of 1615 genes, with only 776 genes co-regulated with METTL14. Additionally, immunofluorescence co-localization studies suggest discrepancies in cellular localization between METTL3 and METTL14. High-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) analyses demonstrate that METTL3 uniquely associates with the Nop56p-linked pre-rRNA complex and mRNA splicing machinery, independent of METTL14. Preliminary bioinformatics and multi-omics investigations reveal that METTL3's autonomous role in modulating tumor cell proliferation and its involvement in mRNA splicing are potentially pivotal molecular mechanisms. Our study lays both experimental and theoretical groundwork for a deeper understanding of the m6A methyltransferase complex and the development of targeted tumor therapies focusing on METTL3.

Indexed as

Cell ProliferationEsophageal NeoplasmsEsophageal Squamous Cell CarcinomaGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticMethyltransferasesAdenosineAnimalsCell Line, TumorDisease ProgressionHumansMiceRNA, MessengerAdenosineMethyltransferasesMETTL14 protein, humanMETTL3 protein, humanN-methyladenosineRNA, MessengerIndependentMETTL14METTL3ProliferationSplicing

Identifiers

PMID38965238
PMCPMC11224396

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.