m⁶ A reader YTHDF3 triggers the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma through the YTHDF3/m⁶ A-EGFR/STAT3 axis and EMT

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer and the fourth leading cause of tumor-related deaths worldwide. N6-methyladenosine (m⁶ A) mediates RNA metabolism in tumor biology. However, the regulatory role of YTHDF3, an m⁶ A reader, in HCC progression and its underlying mechanisms remains unclear. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the oncogenic effect of YTHDF3 on HCC progression via the epigenetic regulation of m⁶ A-modified mRNAs. The expression levels of YTHDF3 in HCC tissues and matched adjacent liver tissues were detected using western blot analysis, immunohistochemistry, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The function of YTHDF3 in HCC progression and its underlying mechanisms have been studied both in vitro and in vivo. YTHDF3 expression was significantly higher in HCC tissues than in paracancerous liver tissues. YTHDF3 was also significantly upregulated in HCC with microvascular invasion (MVI) compared to that in HCC without MVI. YTHDF3 overexpression facilitated the proliferation, invasion, and migration of HCC cells both in vitro and in vivo. However, the YTHDF3 knockdown resulted in an inverse trend. Mechanistically, YTHDF3 enhanced the translation and stability of the m⁶ A-modified epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mRNA, which activated the downstream EGFR/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) oncogenic pathways. YTHDF3 enhanced the stability and translation of m⁶ A-modified EGFR mRNA and stimulated HCC progression via the YTHDF3/m⁶ A-EGFR/STAT3 and EMT pathways. These findings reveal that YTHDF3 plays a significant role in regulating HCC progression, suggesting a promising and novel target for HCC treatment.