METTL16 and cancer: Moreover, copper ion carriers offer a potential avenue for targeted cancer treatment, where cuproptosis induction, combined with small molecule drugs, could be used to selectively treat certain cancer types.118, 119, 120 In gastric cancer, elevated copper ion levels lead to the lactylation of METTL16 at the K229 site, which enhances its interaction with acetyltransferases AARS1 and AARS2.