LOX-1 is an N6-methyladenosine-regulated receptor for Helicobacter pylori via binding to the bacterial catalase [m6A-seq]

The role of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification of host mRNA during bacterial infection is unclear. Here, we show that Helicobacter pylori infection upregulated major m6A “writers” and increased m6A level in gastric epithelial cells. Attenuating m6A increase by hemizygotic deletion of Mettl3 in mice or small interfering RNAs targeting m6A “writers” exacerbated H. pylori colonization. LOX-1 mRNA was identified as a key m6A-regulated target during H. pylori infection. m6A modification destabilized LOX-1 mRNA and reduced LOX-1 protein level. LOX-1 acted as a membrane receptor for H. pylori catalase to mediate the bacterial adhesion. BI-0115, a small-molecule inhibitor of LOX-1, suppressed H. pylori adhesion and colonization. Genetic ablation of Lox-1 also reduced H. pylori colonization in mice. In sum, this study reveals that m6A modification is an auto-protective mechanism against H. pylori infection by downregulating LOX-1 to prevent H. pylori adhesion. LOX-1 could be a druggable target for controlling H. pylori infection. Overall design: Normal gastric epithelial cells (HFE145) transfected with negative control or WTAP siRNAs were infected with or without H. pylori for 24 hours. Cell samples were divided into four groups, namely siNC, siNC + H. pylori, siWTAP, siWTAP + H. pylori.