METTL3 plays a crucial function in multiple biological processes

The N6-methyladenosine (m6A) refers to the methylation of the N6 position of adenosine of RNA adenine. The modification of m6A is one of the most abundant epigenetic modifications in eukaryotic mRNA and non-coding RNA and is controlled by methyltransferases and demethylases. The biological mechanism and significance of m6A have been discovered with the development of m6A sequencing. Various m6A complex components regulate the function of m6A on mRNA. Methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) is one of the earliest identified m6A methyltransferases which regulate the functions of m6A. A large number of studies have shown that METTL3 establishes a cross-talk with tumor cells and development of various human diseases. In this review, we will briefly elaborate on the role of METTL3 in biological function, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), inflammatory response and sensitivity to the resistance of chemo radiotherapies. The underlying molecular mechanism demonstrated by METTL3 may provide a possible target for treating and diagnosing human diseases.