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Transcriptomic characterization revealed that METTL7A inhibits melanoma progression via the p53 signaling pathway and

Duoli Zhang1, Tao Zou1, Qingsong Liu2

  • 1Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Luzhou, China.

Peerj
|August 7, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Methylthiotranspherase like 7A (METTL7A) gene downregulation correlates with poorer cancer outcomes and promotes melanoma progression. METTL7A inhibits tumor growth via the p53 pathway and influences immune response.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Genomics

Background:

  • METTL7A (Methylthiotranspherase like 7A) is linked to methylation and diseases, but its role in cancer malignancy and mechanisms remains unclear.
  • Understanding METTL7A's function is crucial for cancer research and therapeutic development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the biological function and prognostic value of METTL7A in cancer progression.
  • To elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms of METTL7A's involvement in tumorigenesis, particularly in melanoma.

Main Methods:

  • Bioinformatic analysis of TCGA database for gene expression and clinical correlation.
  • In vitro assays (CCK8, Transwell, wound healing, colony formation) to assess METTL7A's functional impact on cancer cells.
  • Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) and Western Blotting for pathway analysis.

Main Results:

  • METTL7A is downregulated in most cancers, with low expression linked to shorter survival.
  • In melanoma, reduced METTL7A correlates with advanced stage, low tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), chemoresistance, and poor immunotherapy response.
  • METTL7A knockdown enhances melanoma cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and colony formation, acting through the p53 signaling pathway.

Conclusions:

  • METTL7A functions as a tumor suppressor, inhibiting tumorigenicity via the p53 pathway.
  • METTL7A downregulation is a marker for poor prognosis in various cancers, especially melanoma.
  • METTL7A holds potential as a prognostic biomarker and immune regulatory factor in cancer treatment.
Keywords:
ImmunomodulationMETTL7AMelanomap53 signaling pathway

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