Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 5, 2026

Tropomodulin 3 Overexpression as a Marker for Platinum Resistance and Immune Infiltration in Ovarian Cancer
09:40

Tropomodulin 3 Overexpression as a Marker for Platinum Resistance and Immune Infiltration in Ovarian Cancer

Published on: August 2, 2024

Epitranscriptomic regulation in the progression of cancer and platinum resistance

Pavol Harvanik1, Terézia Hudáková1, Martina Šemeláková1

  • 1Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, P. J. Šafárik University in Košice, Košice, Slovakia.

Advances in Medical Sciences
|July 28, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Epitranscriptomic modifications regulate cancer chemoresistance. Targeting RNA regulators like METTL3 or FTO shows promise in preclinical studies for sensitizing tumors to platinum drugs.

Area of Science:

  • Cancer Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Epitranscriptomic regulation, involving dynamic RNA modifications (e.g., m6A, m5C, m1A, m7G, Ψ, A-to-I editing), is crucial in cancer.
  • RNA-modifying proteins ('writers,' 'erasers,' 'readers') control post-transcriptional networks, influencing tumor adaptation and chemoresistance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the role of epitranscriptomic changes in platinum-resistant tumors.
  • To investigate the potential of targeting epitranscriptomic regulators for overcoming chemoresistance.

Main Methods:

  • Review of preclinical studies on epitranscriptomic regulation in cancer.
  • Analysis of RNA modification roles in platinum-resistant tumor pathways (DNA damage response, apoptosis, drug efflux, detoxification).

Main Results:

  • Epitranscriptomic alterations are implicated in platinum resistance by modulating key cellular pathways.
  • Pharmacological inhibition of METTL3 or FTO demonstrates preclinical efficacy in sensitizing tumors to platinum drugs and enhancing anti-tumor immunity.

Conclusions:

  • Epitranscriptomic profiling offers potential for identifying biomarkers and guiding precision medicine strategies against chemoresistance.
  • Clinical translation of epitranscriptomic therapies is hindered by off-target effects, toxicity, and context-specific responses.
Keywords:
Antineoplastic agentsBiomarkersDrug resistanceNeoplasmsRNA methylation

Related Concept Videos

Treatment Resistant Cancers02:56

Treatment Resistant Cancers

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. A cancer cell is genetically unstable and hence can mutate faster. They can also modify their microenvironment and escape immune surveillance. The difficulties in treating cancer are further compounded by the emergence of rapid resistance to anticancer drugs. The most common ways to attain resistance in cancer cells include alteration in drug transport and metabolism, modification of drug target, elevated DNA damage response, or...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
Epigenetic Regulation01:37

Epigenetic Regulation

Epigenetic changes alter the physical structure of the DNA without changing the genetic sequence and often regulate whether genes are turned on or off. This regulation ensures that each cell produces only proteins necessary for its function. For example, proteins that promote bone growth are not produced in muscle cells. Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
X-chromosome...
Epigenetic Regulation01:46

Epigenetic Regulation

Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
Tumor Progression02:07

Tumor Progression

Tumor progression is a phenomenon where the pre-formed tumor acquires successive mutations to become clinically more aggressive and malignant. In the 1950s, Foulds first described the stepwise progression of cancer cells through successive stages.
Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...