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Review
. 2025 Jul 30:19:1637372.
doi: 10.3389/or.2025.1637372. eCollection 2025.

METTL1 in human cancers: recognition of their functions, mechanisms and therapeutic value

Xinyu Zhang #  1 , Yuan Chen #  1 , Min Li  2   3 , Xiaomeng Zhou  4 , Qingcui Song  1   4
Affiliations
Review

METTL1 in human cancers: recognition of their functions, mechanisms and therapeutic value

Xinyu Zhang et al. Oncol Rev. .

Abstract

Methyltransferase-like 1 (METTL1) is a methyltransferase that modulates the RNA methylation process and has been increasingly investigated in cancer research over the past decade. The review aims to summarize the diverse roles of METTL1 in various cancers, focusing on the mechanisms underlying tumorigenesis, progression, and metastasis. Furthermore, the therapeutic value and targeting strategies for METTL1 are also discussed to provide the foundation for further development of METTL1-targeted therapies. The article integrates recent research findings to highlight significant discoveries regarding METTL1, emphasizing its potential as a therapeutic target in cancer treatment.

Keywords: METTL1; RNA methylation; cancer; therapeutic target; tumor mechanism.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
(A) METTL1-WDR4 heterodimer complex. (B) The METTL1 N-terminus orchestrates cofactor SAM binding, induces tRNA conformational changes, and activates the catalytic loop to facilitate proton transfer and methylation. (C) Phosphorylation at the S27 site blocks SAM binding and acts as a regulatory switch. (Created with BioGDP.com).
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
The biological functions and related mechanisms of METTL1 in cancer, including tumor cell proliferation, migration and invasion, apoptosis and autophagy. (+: Promote tumor progression; −: Inhibit tumor progression) (Created with BioGDP.com).
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
METTL1’s Signaling pathways in various cancers. (Created with BioGDP.com).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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