c-MYC/METTL3/LINC01006 positive feedback loop promotes migration, invasion and proliferation of non-small cell lung cancer

Chunfeng Liu; Qiang Ren; Jun Deng; Songping Wang; Lei Ren

doi:10.1016/j.bj.2023.100664

c-MYC/METTL3/LINC01006 positive feedback loop promotes migration, invasion and proliferation of non-small cell lung cancer

Biomed J. 2023 Sep 27:100664. doi: 10.1016/j.bj.2023.100664. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Chunfeng Liu¹, Qiang Ren², Jun Deng³, Songping Wang³, Lei Ren⁴

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany; Department of Respiratory and Critical Care, the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China; Inflammation and Allergy Laboratory, the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.
² Department of Respiratory and Critical Care, the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.
³ Department of Respiratory and Critical Care, the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China; Inflammation and Allergy Laboratory, the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.
⁴ Faculty of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany; Department of General Surgery (Gastrointestinal Surgery), the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China. Electronic address: lei.ren@tum.de.

PMID: 37774794
DOI: 10.1016/j.bj.2023.100664

Abstract

Background: This study aims to clarify the N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification of LINC01006, which is involved in migration, invasion and proliferation of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Materials and methods: LINC01006 and METTL3 expressions were analyzed in TCGA-LUAD cohort. Colony formation assay, wound-healing assay and transwell assay were performed to evaluate the ability of colony formation, migration and invasion. Q-PCR and western blot analysis determined gene expressions. M6A-RNA immunoprecipitation and m6A quantification assay were used to evaluate m6A modification. qChIP assay was used to validate transcriptional target. Luciferase assay validated the miRNA targets and transcriptional targets. In-situ xenograft model were included to evaluate tumor proliferation in vivo.

Results: LINC01006 and METTL3 expressions were elevated in NSCLC cells and tissues. LINC01006 promoted the migration and invasion of NSCLC via epithelial - mesenchymal transition (EMT). The expression of LINC01006 was positively correlated to the expression of METTL3. METTL3 promoted tumor formation and proliferation in the in-situ xenograft model of NSCLC. The expression of LINC01006 was increased by METTL3 via m6A modification. c-MYC directly induced METTL3. Both c-MYC and LINC01006 were commonly targeted by miR-34a/b/c and miR-2682, and thereby c-MYC/METTL3/LINC01006 formed a positive feedback loop through miRNA targets in NSCLC.

Conclusions: LINC01006 is an oncogenic lncRNA, which induces migration, invasion and proliferation of NSCLC. METTL3 increases LINC01006 expression through stabilizing LINC01006 mRNA. c-MYC, as a transcription factor, activates METTL3, which results in an elevated level of LINC01006. c-MYC, METTL3 and LINC01006 form a positive feedback loop through multiple miRNA targets in NSCLC.

Keywords: LINC01006; METTL3; N6-methyladenosine; NSCLC; c-MYC.