Evidence mapPaperPMID 41533902Full record

ArticleInvestigative ophthalmology & visual science2026

METTL16 Inhibits Lens Epithelial Cells Function in Diabetic Cataract via m6A-Modified DKK1-Mediated Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling.

Bei Zhang, Yahui Sun, Xiaohui Jiang, Zhixuan Hu, Xue Wang, Yun-E Zhao

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Investigative ophthalmology & visual science, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Bei ZhangEye Hospital and School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
Yahui SunEye Hospital and School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
Xiaohui JiangEye Hospital and School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
Zhixuan HuEye Hospital and School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
Xue WangEye Hospital and School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
Yun-E ZhaoEye Hospital and School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Purpose: To explore the role of methyltransferase-like protein 16 (METTL16), an N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methyltransferase, in the development and progression of diabetic cataracts (DCs), as its underlying molecular mechanisms remain unknown. Methods: We evaluated m6A methylation levels in total RNA isolated from DC anterior capsule tissue and high glucose (HG)-induced human lens epithelial cells (HLECs) using m6A quantification and dot blot analysis. The expression levels of METTL16 in the anterior capsule tissue were detected using western blot analysis. Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP), RNA stability assays, and other relevant experiments were performed to investigate the regulatory mechanisms of METTL16 on methylation levels in HLECs. Additionally, cellular functions including proliferation, migration, and cell-cycle progression were assessed. Results: The expression level of METTL16 and the level of m6A methylation were highly elevated in the DC anterior capsule tissue and HG-induced HLECs. MeRIP analysis revealed that Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) might act as the target of METTL16 via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Notably, the expression of DKK1 increased with the increase in METTL16 expression in HG-induced HLECs. Furthermore, DKK1 expression was negatively correlated with the nuclear translocation of β-catenin, thereby regulating cell proliferation, migration, and cell-cycle progression in HLECs. In addition, HG-induced lens opacity contributes to cataract formation, and treatment with the DKK1 inhibitor WAY-262611 effectively prevented the development of this pathological process. Conclusions: The METTL16-DKK1-Wnt/β-catenin axis inhibits the proliferation, migration, and cell-cycle progression of HG-induced HLECs. These findings provide an epigenetic insight into the pathogenesis of DC.

Indexed as

beta CateninCataractEpithelial CellsGene Expression RegulationIntercellular Signaling Peptides and ProteinsLens, CrystallineMethyltransferasesWnt Signaling PathwayAnimalsBlotting, WesternCell CycleCell MovementCell ProliferationCells, CulturedHumansbeta CateninDKK1 protein, humanIntercellular Signaling Peptides and ProteinsMethyltransferases

Identifiers

PMID41533902
PMCPMC12782201

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.