N6-methyladenosine modification of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α regulates Helicobacter pylori-associated gastric cancer via the PI3K/AKT pathway

BACKGROUND Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori ) colonizes the human gastric mucosa and is implicated in the development of gastric cancer (GC). The tumor microenvironment is characterized by hypoxia, where hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) plays a key role as a transcription factor, but the mechanisms underlying H. pylori -induced HIF-1α expression and carcinogenesis remain unclear. AIM To explore the underlying mechanism of H. pylori -induced HIF-1α expression in promoting the malignant biological behavior of gastric epithelial cells (GES-1). METHODS The study was conducted with human GES-1 cells in vitro . Relative protein levels of methyltransferase-like protein 14 (METTL14), HIF-1α, main proteins of the PI3K/AKT pathway, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) biomarkers, and invasion indicators were detected by Western blot. Relative mRNA levels of METTL14 and HIF-1α were detected by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. mRNA stability was evaluated using actinomycin D, and the interaction between METTL14 and HIF-1α was confirmed by immunofluorescence staining. Cell proliferation and migration were evaluated by cell counting kit-8 assay and wound healing assay, respectively. RESULTS H. pylori promoted HIF-1α expression and activated the PI3K/AKT pathway. Notably, METTL14 was downregulated in H. pylori -infected gastric mucosal epithelial cells and positively regulated HIF-1α expression. Functional experiments showed that the overexpression of HIF-1α or knockdown of METTL14 enhanced the activity of the PI3K/AKT pathway, thereby driving a series of malignant transformation, such as EMT and cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. By contrast, the knockdown of HIF-1α or overexpression of METTL14 had an opposite effect. CONCLUSION H. pylori- induced underexpression of METTL14 promotes the translation of HIF-1α and accelerates tumor progression by activating the PI3K/AKT pathway. These results provide novel insights into the carcinogenesis of GC.