Silencing of m6A methyltransferase KIAA1429 suppresses the progression of non-small cell lung cancer by promoting the p53 signaling pathway and ferroptosis.

ABSTRACT

KIAA1429, an important component of the N6-methyladenine methyltransferase complex, is involved in the pathology of many types of cancer. In this study, the mechanisms through which KIAA1429 promotes non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) progression were explored using in vitro and in vivo experiments. Additionally, bioinformatics analysis of publicly available data was used to determine the relationship between KIAA1429 expression and NSCLC patient survival. The results showed that KIAA1429 was upregulated in NSCLC tissues and cells, and its high expression level was associated with low overall survival. Transcriptome analysis of KIAA1429-silenced NSCLC cells identified 346 differentially expressed genes, which were enriched in ferroptosis and the p53 signaling pathway. KIAA1429 silencing using small interfering (si) RNA promoted erastin-induced ferroptosis in NSCLC cells and activated the p53 signaling pathway. Moreover, si-KIAA1429 inhibited the proliferative, migratory, and invasive abilities of NSCLC cells in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. These in vitro effects were weakened by pifithrin-µ, a p53 inhibitor. Therefore, given its effects on ferroptosis and the p53 signaling pathway, targeting KIAA1429 could be an effective strategy for treating NSCLC.