A particular area of interest in uncovering the earliest mechanisms driving cancer is a stress response cell state called senescence, in which cells stop growing but continue to function. Senescence has a known role in preventing cancer, but its underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. In a study led by Rugang Zhang, Ph.D., researchers uncovered some of these mechanisms by investigating the role of METTL3, a methyltransferase enzyme that helps regulate gene expression.
They found that METTL3 contributed to senescence in several ways, notably through mediating chromatin loops, which induce Hexokinase 2 expression to then promote a process known as stress granule phase separation. This process is a form of metabolic programming that halts the production of certain proteins that promote cell growth. This mechanism is an important finding, as this previously unknown role of METTL3 could provide insights into how it contributes to cancer growth.