METTL3 -mediated m6A modification of circ_0000620 regulates cisplatin sensitivity and apoptosis in lung adenocarcinoma via the MiR-216b-5p/KRAS axis

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are stable non-coding RNAs characterized by the absence of the conventional 5' cap and 3' polyadenylated tail structure. Its involvement in various aspects of cancers underscores its significance in oncology. Elevated expression of circ_0000620 was observed in both lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) tissues and cell lines. In vitro, experiments demonstrated that the downregulation of circ_0000620 increased cisplatin sensitivity and promoted cell apoptosis while suppressing malignant characteristics such as cell migration and proliferation. Further investigation into the mechanism underlying the increased expression of circ_0000620 revealed that Methyltransferase 3, N6-Adenosine-Methyltransferase Complex Catalytic Subunit (METTL3) mediates the m6A methylation modification of circ_0000620, thereby promoting its stability and expression. Furthermore, circ_0000620 modulates the miR-216b-5p/KRAS axis to influence apoptosis and cisplatin sensitivity in both A549 and H1299 cell lines. These findings were corroborated by in vivo nude mouse experiments, which showed that knockdown of circ_0000620 inhibited tumor growth and proliferation. In summary, METTL3 plays a role in regulating the stability of circ_0000620 expression, and circ_0000620 exerts its effects on LUAD apoptosis and cisplatin sensitivity through the miR-216b-5p/KRAS signaling pathway.