Prognostic roles of dysregulated METTL3 protein expression in cancers and potential anticancer value by inhibiting METTL3 function

Abstract Background Many studies have demonstrated the relationship between METTL3 protein expression and clinical outcomes in various cancers and elucidated the mechanism by which METTL3 disrupts the behavior of cancer cells. Here, we attempted to define the prognostic value of METTL3 protein in patients with cancer via systematic analysis and explored the potential effect of inhibiting METTL3 using its specific inhibitor. Methods We searched PubMed, Embase, and the Web of Science databases for studies that elucidated the prognostic value of METTL3 protein expression in all cancer types and then calculated the pooled hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals for the overall survival (OS) of all cancer types and subgroups. Data from The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset were used to study METTL3 mRNA expression in cancers. Further, the effects of a METTL3‐specific inhibitor were studied in cancer cells via the colony formation assay, the cell proliferation assay, and apoptosis detection. Results Meta‐analysis of the 33 cohorts in 32 studies (3666 patients in total) revealed that higher METTL3 protein expression indicated poor OS in the majority of cancers. Bioinformatics analysis of METTL3 mRNA expression and cancer prognosis did not show the extremely prominent prognostic value of METTL3 mRNA. Nevertheless, the METTL3‐specific inhibitor attenuated cell proliferation and cell cloning formation and promoted apoptosis. Conclusions METTL3 protein expression is associated with poor prognosis in most cancer types and could be a biomarker for OS. Further, METTL3 inhibition might be a potential treatment strategy for cancers.