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Copyright: ©Author(s) 2026. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. No commercial re-use. See permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.
World J Gastroenterol. Jul 21, 2026; 32(27): 116347
Published online Jul 21, 2026. doi: 10.3748/wjg.116347
IGF2BP3 in gastric cancer: Unraveling an N6-methyladenosine-driven oncogenic axis for therapeutic targeting
Xue-Lian Luo, Li-Yang Dai, Ling-Yun Luo, Si-Bi Yin, Qi-Yuan Feng
Qi-Yuan Feng, Si-Bi Yin, Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei Province, China
Ling-Yun Luo, Department of Cardiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei Province, China
Ling-Yun Luo, Hubei Provincial Engineering Research Center of Vascular Interventional Therapy, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei Province, China
Li-Yang Dai, Information Statistics Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 401120, China
Xue-Lian Luo, Department of Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 401120, China
Co-first authors: Qi-Yuan Feng and Si-Bi Yin.
Co-corresponding authors: Li-Yang Dai and Xue-Lian Luo.
Author contributions: Luo XL and Dai LY contributed equally as corresponding authors, they jointly conceived and designed the work; Feng QY and Yin SB have drafted the manuscript and contributed equally as co-first authors; Feng QY, Luo LY, Dai LY and Luo XL substantively revised the manuscript; all authors have read and approved the submitted version.
AI contribution statement: During the preparation of this manuscript, the authors used ChatGPT only for language refinement, including grammatical correction, translation assistance, and improvement of academic expression and readability. No AI-assisted tools were involved in the conceptualization of the study, experimental design, data acquisition, data analysis, interpretation of results, or formulation of scientific conclusions. The entire manuscript, including the Abstract, Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion, was drafted, critically reviewed, revised, and approved by the authors. No images, figures, experimental data, pathological images, microscopy images, graphical results, or scientific illustrations in the manuscript were generated by AI. The authors have carefully reviewed and verified all AI-assisted language edits and take full responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Corresponding author: Xue-Lian Luo, MD, Professor, Department of Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Huixing Street, Yubei District, Chongqing 401120, China. 806850653@qq.com
Received: November 10, 2025
Revised: December 23, 2025
Accepted: January 15, 2026
Published online: July 21, 2026
Processing time: 237 Days and 15.6 Hours
Abstract

In this editorial, we explore a pioneering study by Si et al, which elucidates the oncogenic role of the N6-methyladenosine (m6A) reader IGF2BP3 in gastric cancer (GC). The authors demonstrate that IGF2BP3 is significantly upregulated in GC tissues and correlates with poor prognosis. Through comprehensive multi-omics and functional analyses, they identify FBXO32 as a key downstream target, whose messenger RNAs is recognized and stabilized by IGF2BP3 via m6A modification at position 1427. This interaction enhances the expression of FBXO32 protein, activating the cyclic guanosine monophosphate-protein kinase G (cGMP-PKG) signaling pathway and promoting the proliferation, migration, and invasion of GC cells. Notably, treatment of the PKG inhibitor KT5823 can effectively suppress these malignant phenotypes. These findings not only deepen our understanding of m6A-driven tumorigenesis but also highlight the IGF2BP3/FBXO32/cGMP-PKG axis as a promising therapeutic target for GC. Further validation across diverse patient cohorts and exploration of its clinical applications are warranted.

Keywords: Gastric cancer; N6-methyladenosine; IGF2BP3; FBXO32; Cyclic guanosine monophosphate-protein kinase G pathway; Therapeutic target

Core Tip: The IGF2BP3/FBXO32/cyclic guanosine monophosphate-protein kinase G axis represents a novel N6-methyladenosine-driven pathway in gastric cancer progression. Targeting this axis may offer a new therapeutic strategy, particularly for aggressive subtypes characterized by high IGF2BP3 expression.

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