METTL5: A Potential Biomarker for Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer That Promotes Cancer Cell Proliferation by Interacting with IGF2BP3

Objective: To examine if METTL5 promotes the proliferation of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells by interacting with IGF2BP3. Methods: The expression patterns of METTL5 and IGF2BP3 in NSCLC tissues, their relationship with survival rate, and their correlation were analyzed using bioinformatics and clinical sample analyses. The effects of METTL5 overexpression and IGF2BP3 knockdown, as well as those of METTL5 knockdown and IGF2BP3 overexpression, on the proliferation of NSCLC cells were analyzed by transfecting appropriate constructs. The interaction between METTL5 and IGF2BP3 was verified using the co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) assay. The in vivo effects of METTL5 and IGF2BP3 on NSCLC growth were analyzed using the tumor-bearing nude mouse model. Results: METTL5 and IGF2BP3 expression levels were positively correlated and were associated with poor clinical prognosis. The METTL5 and IGF2BP3 expression levels were upregulated in the clinical NSCLC samples. IGF2BP3 expression did not affect METTL5 expression but was regulated by METTL5. IGF2BP3 overexpression mitigated the METTL5 knockdown-induced impaired cell proliferation. Meanwhile, IGF2BP3 knockdown suppressed METTL5-mediated NSCLC cell proliferation. The Co-IP assay results revealed the interaction between METTL5 and IGF2BP3 in NSCLC cells. IGF2BP3 knockdown suppressed tumor growth, whereas IGF2BP3 overexpression enhanced tumor volume and quality. Conclusion: METTL5 induces NSCLC cell proliferation by interacting with IGF2BP3. Thus, METTL5 is a potential biomarker and a therapeutic target for NSCLC.