RNA N 6 -methyladenosine modification mediates downregulation of NR4A1 to facilitate malignancy of cervical cancer

Background N 6 -methyladenosine is the most abundant eukaryotic mRNA modification and alters a wide range of cellular processes in cancer. Therefore, defining the molecular details are critical for understanding the regulatory mechanism of m 6 A modification. Results We found that METTL3, a core m 6 A methyltransferase component, is upregulated and functions as an oncogene in cervical cancer. Mechanistically, METTL3 induces the degradation of m 6 A-modified transcripts of NR4A1 though YTHDF2-DDX6 pathway. In addition, NR4A1 overexpression attenuates the malignant progression through recruiting the LSD1/HDAC1/CoREST transcriptional repression complex to AKT1 promoter. Conclusions Our findings reveal that m 6 A regulates cervical cancer cellular progression through manipulating NR4A1 pathway.