m6A RNA methylation regulated by AHR contributes to the cardiac developmental toxicity of PM2.5 in zebrafish embryos

This study aims to investigate the roles of m6A RNA methylation regulated by AHR in the heart developmental toxicity of PM2.5 in zebrafish embryos.EOM downregulates the expression levels of methyltransferase METTL14, which can be restored by AHR inhibitor CH or AHR knockdown. In addition, EOM increased ROS levels and cell apoptosis in the heart region of zebrafish embryos, and these can be attenuated by enforced METTL14 overexpression. In conclusion, AHR activated by PM2.5 significantly inhibits METTL14 expression, which in turn disrupts heart development via oxidative stress and apoptosis, resulting in heart defects in zebrafish embryos.