Purpose Esophageal cancer (EC) is a rapidly progressing malignancy characterized by a low survival rate and limited treatment success, largely due to late-stage detection, frequent recurrence, and a high propensity for metastasis, despite ongoing advances in therapeutic strategies. While oxaliplatin (L-OHP) is a potent chemotherapeutic agent that induces apoptosis in EC cells, its effectiveness is significantly hindered by the development of resistance. Materials and Methods The assessment of gene and protein expression was conducted through a combination of quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and immunohistochemical staining. Cell viability was assessed using the cell counting kit-8 assay. The interactions among ALYREF, TBL1XR1, KMT2E, and APOC1 were investigated through RNA immunoprecipitation, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), ChIP-reChIP, RNA pulldown, and dual-luciferase assays. An in vivo mouse model of EC was established. Results Expression levels of both APOC1 and ALYREF were elevated in L-OHP–resistant EC tissues and cell lines, and their silencing enhanced sensitivity to L-OHP. TBL1XR1 and KMT2E synergistically upregulated APOC1 expression. Moreover, ALYREF recognized the 5-methylcytosine (m5C) sites on TBL1XR1 and KMT2E mRNAs, stabilizing these transcripts and promoting APOC1 expression. The regulatory role of these interactions was further validated in vivo . Conclusion This study demonstrated that ALYREF interacted with the m5C sites on TBL1XR1 and KMT2E mRNAs, enhancing their stability and leading to increased transcription of APOC1, which in turn contributed to L-OHP resistance in EC. These findings suggest that targeting APOC1 could be a promising strategy for overcoming L-OHP resistance in EC.
Background Pneumonia is a serious respiratory disease that significantly impacts human health. Quercetin (QUE), a plant extract, has been shown to exert protective effects against lung injury, but its precise mechanisms remain unclear. Methods Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to induce injury in embryonic lung fibroblasts. Cell viability, proliferation, and apoptosis were assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, 5-ethynyl-2’-deoxyuridine (EdU) staining, and flow cytometry assay, respectively. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and Fe 2+ levels were evaluated using corresponding assay kits. The levels of inflammatory factors were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blot were employed to analyze the expression and correlation of related genes. Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP) was employed to verify the regulatory mechanism between genes. Results QUE inhibited embryonic lung fibroblast injury. Both transducin β-like 1 X-linked receptor 1 (TBL1XR1) and methyltransferase 3 (METTL3) were highly expressed in lung injury tissues and cells, which were decreased by QUE treatment. TBL1XR1 deficiency weakened LPS-induced embryonic lung fibroblast injury. Mechanistically, METTL3 mediated the N 6 -methyladenosine (m6A) methylation and stabilized the TBL1XR1 mRNA. TBL1XR1 up-regulation alleviated the retardation of METTL3 absence on embryonic lung fibroblast injury. Furthermore, METTL3 overexpression reversed the inhibition of QUE on embryonic lung fibroblast injury. Conclusion QUE inhibited embryonic lung fibroblast injury by regulating the METTL3-mediated m6A methylation of TBL1XR1 mRNA.