Integrative Analyses of m6A Regulators Identify that METTL3 is Associated with HPV Status and Immunosuppressive Microenvironment in HPV-related Cancers

Yu, Ruidi; Wei, Ye; He, Chao; Zhou, Ping; Yang, Hong; Deng, Chang; Liu, Rang; Wu, Peng; Gao, Qinglei; Cao, Canhui

doi:10.7150/ijbs.70674



Theranostics

International Journal of Medical Sciences

Nanotheranostics

Journal of Cancer

Journal of Genomics

Global reach, higher impact

Full Text | PDF

Int J Biol Sci 2022; 18(9):3874-3887. doi:10.7150/ijbs.70674 This issue Cite

Research Paper

Integrative Analyses of m6A Regulators Identify that METTL3 is Associated with HPV Status and Immunosuppressive Microenvironment in HPV-related Cancers

Ruidi Yu¹, Ye Wei¹, Chao He¹, Ping Zhou^2,3, Hong Yang¹, Chang Deng¹, Rang Liu^2,3, Peng Wu^1✉, Qinglei Gao^1✉, Canhui Cao^1,2,3✉

1. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
2. Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Peking University-The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Guangdong, 518036, China.
3. Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China.

Citation:

Yu R, Wei Y, He C, Zhou P, Yang H, Deng C, Liu R, Wu P, Gao Q, Cao C. Integrative Analyses of m6A Regulators Identify that METTL3 is Associated with HPV Status and Immunosuppressive Microenvironment in HPV-related Cancers. Int J Biol Sci 2022; 18(9):3874-3887. doi:10.7150/ijbs.70674. https://www.ijbs.com/v18p3874.htm

Other styles

Abstract

Although m6A modifications are associated with tumor progression, and anti-tumor immune responses, the role of m6A regulators in HPV-related carcinogenesis has not been well resolved. To provide evidence for the role of m6A regulators in HPV-related carcinogenesis and identify potential therapeutic targets for HPV-related cancers, integrative analyses of m6A regulators in 1,485 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC) patients and 507 cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CESC) patients was performed and identified that an m6A regulator, METTL3, was highly expressed in tumors and was related to the poor prognosis in HNSC and CESC. In HPV-positive tumors, METTL3 was positively associated with tumor HPV status, such as HPV integration status, E6 and unspliced-E6 expression, and p16 expression. Further analysis demonstrated that METTL3 ^high status was negatively correlated with tumor immune cell infiltrations and facilitated the expression of immunosuppressive immune checkpoint molecules (i.e., PD-L1). Cell-derived xenograft models demonstrated that METTL3 inhibitor combined with anti-PD1 therapy promoted immunotherapy of CESC in vivo. Overall, this study identified that METTL3^high status, is associated with poor prognosis and HPV status, and serves as a mediator of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in HPV-associated cancer, which provides a promising therapeutic target for anti-cancer immunotherapy.

Keywords: m6A, HPV, tumor immune microenvironment, HNSC, CESC, METTL3

Citation styles

APA

Yu, R., Wei, Y., He, C., Zhou, P., Yang, H., Deng, C., Liu, R., Wu, P., Gao, Q., Cao, C. (2022). Integrative Analyses of m6A Regulators Identify that METTL3 is Associated with HPV Status and Immunosuppressive Microenvironment in HPV-related Cancers. International Journal of Biological Sciences, 18(9), 3874-3887. https://doi.org/10.7150/ijbs.70674.

ACS

Yu, R.; Wei, Y.; He, C.; Zhou, P.; Yang, H.; Deng, C.; Liu, R.; Wu, P.; Gao, Q.; Cao, C. Integrative Analyses of m6A Regulators Identify that METTL3 is Associated with HPV Status and Immunosuppressive Microenvironment in HPV-related Cancers. Int. J. Biol. Sci. 2022, 18 (9), 3874-3887. DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.70674.

NLM

CSE

Yu R, Wei Y, He C, Zhou P, Yang H, Deng C, Liu R, Wu P, Gao Q, Cao C. 2022. Integrative Analyses of m6A Regulators Identify that METTL3 is Associated with HPV Status and Immunosuppressive Microenvironment in HPV-related Cancers. Int J Biol Sci. 18(9):3874-3887.

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). See http://ivyspring.com/terms for full terms and conditions.