Mettl14 mediates the inflammatory response of macrophages in atherosclerosis through the NF-κB/IL-6 signaling pathway

The inflammatory response of macrophages has been reported to play a critical role in atherosclerosis. The inflammatory state of macrophages is modified by epigenetic reprogramming. m(6)A RNA methylation is an epigenetic modification of RNAs. However, little is known about the potential roles and underlying mechanisms of m(6)A modification in macrophage inflammation. Herein, we showed that the expression of the m(6)A modification “writer” Mettl14 was increased in coronary heart disease and LPS-stimulated THP-1 cells. Knockdown of Mettl14 promoted M2 polarization of macrophages, inhibited foam cell formation and decreased migration. Mechanistically, the expression of Myd88 and IL-6 was decreased in Mettl14 knockdown cells. Through m(6)A modification, Mettl14 regulated the stability of Myd88 mRNA. Furthermore, Myd88 affected the transcription of IL-6 via the distribution of p65 in nuclei rather than directly regulating the expression of IL-6 through m(6)A modification. In vivo, Mettl14 gene knockout significantly reduced the inflammatory response of macrophages and the development of atherosclerotic plaques. Taken together, our data demonstrate that Mettl14 plays a vital role in macrophage inflammation in atherosclerosis via the NF-κB/IL-6 signaling pathway, suggesting that Mettl14 may be a promising therapeutic target for the clinical treatment of atherosclerosis. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00018-022-04331-0.