METTL3-mediated m6A mRNA modification was involved in cadmium-induced liver injury

Abstract

Cadmium is an environmental pollutant that has extensive deleterious effects. However, the mechanisms underlying the hepatotoxicity induced by long-term exposure to cadmium remained undefined. In the present study, we explored the role of m6A methylation in the development of cadmium-induced liver disease. We showed a dynamic change of RNA methylation in liver tissue from mice administrated with cadmium chloride (CdCl₂) for 3, 6 and 9 months, respectively. Particularly, the METTL3 expression was declined in a time-dependent manner, associated with the degree of liver injury, indicating the involvement of METTL3 in hepatotoxicity induced by CdCl₂. Moreover, we established a mouse model with liver-specific over-expression of Mettl3 and administrated these mice with CdCl₂ for 6 months. Notably, METTL3 highly expressed in hepatocytes attenuated CdCl₂-induced steatosis and liver fibrosis in mice. In vitro assay also showed METTL3 overexpression ameliorated the CdCl₂-induced cytotoxicity and activation of primary hepatic stellate cells. Furthermore, transcriptome analysis identified 268 differentially expressed genes both in mice liver tissue treated with CdCl₂ for 3 months and 9 months. Among them, 115 genes were predicted to be regulated by METTL3 determined by m6A2Target database. Further analysis revealed the perturbation of metabolic pathway, glycerophospholipid metabolism, ErbB signaling pathway, Hippo signaling pathway, and choline metabolism in cancer, and circadian rhythm, led to hepatotoxicity induced by CdCl₂. Collectively, our findings reveal new insight into the crucial role of epigenetic modifications in hepatic diseases caused by long-term exposure to cadmium.

Keywords: Cadmium; Hepatotoxicity; METTL3; RNA methylation.