METTL14 attenuates cancer stemness by suppressing ATF5/WDR74/β-catenin axis in gastric cancer

Stemness is a key factor contributing to treatment failure in gastric cancer (GC). Methyltransferase-like 14 (METTL14) has been linked to various cancers, though its specific role in regulating stemness in GC remains undefined. In this study, we assessed METTL14 expression levels in GC tissues using public datasets and clinical specimens and investigated its impact on cell proliferation, metastasis, and stemness both in vitro and in vivo. Through m6A RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP) and luciferase reporter assays, we identified downstream targets of METTL14. Rescue assays were performed to examine whether METTL14 overexpression could reverse stemness in GC. We also explored the underlying mechanisms using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and western blot analysis, focusing on the role of ATF5 and the upstream regulation of METTL14. Our findings show that lower METTL14 expression is associated with poorer overall survival in GC patients. Functionally, METTL14 knockdown enhanced stemness traits in GC cells. Mechanistically, METTL14 facilitated m6A modification, promoting the degradation of ATF5 mRNA. Overexpression of ATF5 reversed the stemness inhibition caused by METTL14 overexpression by increasing WDR74 transcription and enhancing β-catenin nuclear translocation. Furthermore, histone H3 lactylation at Lys18 was found to upregulate METTL14 expression. In conclusion, METTL14 knockdown promotes stemness in GC by mediating m6A modification of ATF5 mRNA, which activates the WDR74/β-catenin axis, making METTL14 a potential therapeutic target for gastric cancer treatment.