METTL3-YTHDF1 axis drives BCL-3 m6A methylation to promote the ferroptosis of brain microvascular endothelial cells during intracerebral hemorrhage

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) significantly impacts human health, with emerging evidence indicating that N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modifications serve a critical regulatory function in ischemic stroke. However, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unexplored. This study sought to comprehensively...

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Main Authors: Hao Yin, Zhongying Ran, Tao Luo, Zexin Jin, Ying Tan, Jun Ma
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-09-01
Series:Brain Research Bulletin
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0361923025002461
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author Hao Yin
Zhongying Ran
Tao Luo
Zexin Jin
Ying Tan
Jun Ma
author_facet Hao Yin
Zhongying Ran
Tao Luo
Zexin Jin
Ying Tan
Jun Ma
author_sort Hao Yin
collection DOAJ
description Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) significantly impacts human health, with emerging evidence indicating that N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modifications serve a critical regulatory function in ischemic stroke. However, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unexplored. This study sought to comprehensively analyze aberrant m6A modification and its mechanistic implications following ICH. Differential expression of BCL-3 between Sprague-Dawley rat ICH models and control rats was identified through analysis of methylated RNA Immunoprecipitation and RNA sequencing data, revealing a close association with methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3), an m6A methyltransferase. METTL3 knockdown and overexpression were conducted in an in vitro ICH model to further elucidate the roles of METTL3 and BCL-3 in apoptosis and ferroptosis. The results indicated that METTL3 knockdown significantly reduced BCL-3 expression, inhibited reactive oxygen species production, and decreased apoptosis and ferroptosis. Conversely, METTL3 overexpression resulted in the opposite effects. BCL-3 overexpression mitigated the effects induced by METTL3 knockdown. Moreover, YTHDF1 knockdown resulted in outcomes comparable to those observed following METTL3 knockdown. In vivo experiments demonstrated that METTL3 knockdown inhibited ferroptosis and protected brain tissue, whereas BCL-3 overexpression exacerbated brain damage. In conclusion, our findings suggest that BCL-3 expression, regulated by METTL3- and YTHDF1-mediated methylation, promotes apoptosis and ferroptosis following ICH, thereby contributing to neuronal injury. This study reveals a novel epitranscriptomic regulatory pathway involved in ICH pathology and identifies the METTL3-YTHDF1-BCL-3 axis as a promising therapeutic target for mitigating neuronal damage post-ICH.
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issn 1873-2747
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spelling doaj-art-843b135491484866a1cbd0fc1ee131f42025-08-20T03:57:56ZengElsevierBrain Research Bulletin1873-27472025-09-0122911143410.1016/j.brainresbull.2025.111434METTL3-YTHDF1 axis drives BCL-3 m6A methylation to promote the ferroptosis of brain microvascular endothelial cells during intracerebral hemorrhageHao Yin0Zhongying Ran1Tao Luo2Zexin Jin3Ying Tan4Jun Ma5Department of Neurosurgery, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, ChinaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, ChinaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, ChinaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, ChinaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, ChinaCorrespondence to: Department of Neurosurgery, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, No. 83 Sourthern Zhongshan Road, Guiyang, Guizhou 550002, China.; Department of Neurosurgery, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, ChinaIntracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) significantly impacts human health, with emerging evidence indicating that N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modifications serve a critical regulatory function in ischemic stroke. However, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unexplored. This study sought to comprehensively analyze aberrant m6A modification and its mechanistic implications following ICH. Differential expression of BCL-3 between Sprague-Dawley rat ICH models and control rats was identified through analysis of methylated RNA Immunoprecipitation and RNA sequencing data, revealing a close association with methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3), an m6A methyltransferase. METTL3 knockdown and overexpression were conducted in an in vitro ICH model to further elucidate the roles of METTL3 and BCL-3 in apoptosis and ferroptosis. The results indicated that METTL3 knockdown significantly reduced BCL-3 expression, inhibited reactive oxygen species production, and decreased apoptosis and ferroptosis. Conversely, METTL3 overexpression resulted in the opposite effects. BCL-3 overexpression mitigated the effects induced by METTL3 knockdown. Moreover, YTHDF1 knockdown resulted in outcomes comparable to those observed following METTL3 knockdown. In vivo experiments demonstrated that METTL3 knockdown inhibited ferroptosis and protected brain tissue, whereas BCL-3 overexpression exacerbated brain damage. In conclusion, our findings suggest that BCL-3 expression, regulated by METTL3- and YTHDF1-mediated methylation, promotes apoptosis and ferroptosis following ICH, thereby contributing to neuronal injury. This study reveals a novel epitranscriptomic regulatory pathway involved in ICH pathology and identifies the METTL3-YTHDF1-BCL-3 axis as a promising therapeutic target for mitigating neuronal damage post-ICH.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0361923025002461M6A methylationIntracerebral hemorrhageMETTL3BCL-3YTHDF1Ferroptosis
spellingShingle Hao Yin
Zhongying Ran
Tao Luo
Zexin Jin
Ying Tan
Jun Ma
METTL3-YTHDF1 axis drives BCL-3 m6A methylation to promote the ferroptosis of brain microvascular endothelial cells during intracerebral hemorrhage
Brain Research Bulletin
M6A methylation
Intracerebral hemorrhage
METTL3
BCL-3
YTHDF1
Ferroptosis
title METTL3-YTHDF1 axis drives BCL-3 m6A methylation to promote the ferroptosis of brain microvascular endothelial cells during intracerebral hemorrhage
title_full METTL3-YTHDF1 axis drives BCL-3 m6A methylation to promote the ferroptosis of brain microvascular endothelial cells during intracerebral hemorrhage
title_fullStr METTL3-YTHDF1 axis drives BCL-3 m6A methylation to promote the ferroptosis of brain microvascular endothelial cells during intracerebral hemorrhage
title_full_unstemmed METTL3-YTHDF1 axis drives BCL-3 m6A methylation to promote the ferroptosis of brain microvascular endothelial cells during intracerebral hemorrhage
title_short METTL3-YTHDF1 axis drives BCL-3 m6A methylation to promote the ferroptosis of brain microvascular endothelial cells during intracerebral hemorrhage
title_sort mettl3 ythdf1 axis drives bcl 3 m6a methylation to promote the ferroptosis of brain microvascular endothelial cells during intracerebral hemorrhage
topic M6A methylation
Intracerebral hemorrhage
METTL3
BCL-3
YTHDF1
Ferroptosis
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0361923025002461
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