Review Article

Cross-Talk between Oxidative Stress and m6A RNA Methylation in Cancer

Table 3

m6A RNA methylation regulates oxidative stress in cancer.

m6A enzymeChange of m6A modificationROS levelsCancer typeMechanismBiofunction in cancerReferences

METTL3; ALKBH5m6A level↑Breast cancerMETTL3 enhances AK4 expression, increase the level of ROS in breast cancer cells and activate p38 KinasePromoting the resistance of breast cancer to Tamoxifen[226]
METTL3UnknownColorectal cancerMETTL3 facilitates the processing of miR-483, miR-676, and miR-877 which regulating the expression of mitochondrial related ETC genesPromoting cancer growth and progression[225]
METTL3; METTL14UnknownColon carcinomaMETTL3/METTL14 catalyzes the m6A methylation of p21 and enhances p21 expression leading to elevated expression of Nrf2Inducing cell senescence[208, 229]
FTOUnknownClear cell renal cell carcinomaFTO increases stability and translation of PGC-1α mRNA thereby resulting in oxidative stressInducing ROS production and suppressing tumor growth[227]
YTHDF1YTHDF1↓Nonsmall cell lung cancerKnockdown of YTHDF1 reduces the translation of keap, upregulates Nrf2 and its downstream antioxidant in response of cisplatin-induced ROSAdapting to oxidative stress; Inducing cisplatin resistance in nonsmall cell lung cancer[215]
METTL3; YTHDF2METTL3↑
SUMOylation of YTHDF2
Lung adenocarcinomaYTHDF2 can be SUMOylated at K571 in hypoxia or oxidative stress conditionPromoting mRNA degradation and cancer progression[21]
YTHDC2UnknownLung adenocarcinomaYTHDC2 regulates SLC7A11 mRNA decay, which leads to the inhibition system XC(-) function, thus impairing the antioxidant functionInhibiting tumorigenesis[233]