There is growing scientific evidence for the crucial role of post-transcriptional RNA modifications in carcinogenesis, progression, metastasis, and drug resistance across various cancer entities. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant type of RNA modification. m6A is coordinated by a dynamic interplay of ‘writers’ (METTL3, METTL4, METTL14, WTAP, KIAA1429), ‘erasers’ (FTO, ALKBH5), and ‘readers’ (HNRNPA2B1, HNRNPC, YTHDC1, YTHDC1, YTHDF1-3). In this study, we comprehensively examined protein and mRNA expression levels of m6A writers, readers, and erasers in two cervical cancer (CC) cohorts (UHB CC cohort, N = 118; TCGA CC cohort, N = 307) with regard to clinical outcomes. In the UHB CC cohort, high protein expression levels of METTL14 (p = 0.016), WTAP (p = 0.007), KIAA1439 (p < 0.001), ALKBH5 (p < 0.001), HNRNPC (p = 0.012), YTHDC1 (p < 0.001), and YTHDF3 (p = 0.004) were significantly associated with a shorter overall survival (OS). In the TCGA CC cohort, mRNA expression levels of METTL14 (p = 0.012), WTAP (p = 0.041), KIAA1429 (p = 0.016), and YTHDC1 (p = 0.026) showed prognostic values. However, after correction for multiple testing, statistical significance remained only for m6A protein expression levels (q < 0.1). Our study points towards dysregulated m6A modification in CC. Hence, m6A might serve as a promising prognostic biomarker and therapeutical target in CC.
Keywords: RNA modification; biomarker; cervical cancer; m6a.