RNA methyltransferase 3 drives pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma growth and is a therapeutic target.
Pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma (ACC) is a rare and aggressive malignancy whose molecular basis remains poorly understood. N6-methyladenosine (m⁶A) RNA modification, mediated particularly through methyltransferase 3 (METTL3), has emerged as a critical regulator in various cancers. Here, we investigated the role of METTL3-mediated RNA methylation in ACC development and progression. We used transgenic mouse models overexpressing Mettl3 and SV40 large T antigen under the pancreatic elastase I promoter. Comprehensive analyses included m⁶A-methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP-seq), single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), functional studies using the METTL3 inhibitor STM2457, and S-adenosylmethionine (SAM)-binding domain deletion mutants to assess functional requirements. Mettl3 overexpression significantly accelerated ACC development and increased tumor aggressiveness. The SAM-binding domain was essential for tumor formation, as deletion mutants failed to promote carcinogenesis. MeRIP-seq revealed preferential methylation of cell cycle and DNA replication genes in Mettl3-overexpressing tumors. scRNA-seq analysis demonstrated enhanced malignancy signatures, including epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and transforming growth factor-β signaling. METTL3 also promoted PRSS1-mediated signaling from ACC cells to inflammatory cancer-associated fibroblasts, creating a feed-forward loop involving IGF1 that amplifies tumor growth. Conditional Mettl3 deletion induced rapid tumor apoptosis. Pharmacological inhibition with STM2457 similarly triggered caspase-3/7-dependent apoptosis in pancreatic tumors. METTL3-mediated RNA methylation drives ACC pathogenesis through tumor-intrinsic cell cycle regulation and tumor-extrinsic stromal interactions. These findings establish METTL3 as a promising therapeutic target and provide mechanistic insights supporting the clinical development of METTL3 inhibitors for ACC treatment.
Authors
Tatekawa Tatekawa, Hara Hara, Meng Meng, Sato Sato, Arai Arai, Tamari Tamari, Arao Arao, Tsuji Tsuji, Konno Konno, Ofusa Ofusa, Kitamura Kitamura, Rennie Rennie, Inui Inui, Taguchi Taguchi, Akita Akita, Motooka Motooka, Murakumo Murakumo, Inohara Inohara, Doki Doki, Eguchi Eguchi, Ogawa Ogawa, Ishii Ishii
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