Tumor-Associated Macrophages Promote Oxaliplatin Resistance via METTL3-Mediated m6A of TRAF5 and Necroptosis in Colorectal Cancer

As a third-generation platinum drug, oxaliplatin (OX) is widely used as the first-line chemotherapeutic agent in the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC). CRC cells acquire resistance to chemotherapy and develop resistance, which is a major challenge for the treatment of advanced CRC. Recent studies have suggested that the therapeutic resistance of tumors is affected by the tumor microenvironment (TME). As a critical role among TME, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play an important role. However, their regulatory mechanism underlying the drug resistance in CRC remains largely unknown. In the present study, we found that the density of macrophages infiltrated into the CRC tissues from OX-resistant patients was significantly higher compared with the OX-sensitive patients. Interestingly, both the total N-6-methyladenosine (m(6)A) RNA content and the expression of its critical methyltransferase METTL3 were increased in the CRC tissues from OX-resistant patients compared with the OX-sensitive patients. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the M2-polarized TAMs enabled the OX resistance via the elevation of METTL3-mediated m(6)A modification in cells. Through whole-genome CRISPR screening and further validation, we found that TRAF5 contributes to the METTL3-triggered OX resistance in CRC cells. This study unveiled that M2-TAMs were important mediators for the acquisition of OX resistance. Furthermore, we provided evidence that targeting of M2-TAMs and METTL3-mediated m(6)A modification might be a promising adjuvant therapeutic strategy for CRC patients, especially for OX-resistant CRC patients.

Automated summary

The study found that infiltrated macrophage density in CRC tissues from OX-resistant patients was significantly higher, with increased m(6)A RNA content and METTL3 expression. M2-polarized TAMs enable OX resistance through elevated METTL3-mediated m(6)A modification in cells. Targeting M2-TAMs and METTL3-mediated m(6)A modification could be a promising adjuvant therapeutic strategy for CRC patients, especially for OX-resistant CRC patients.