LINC00426, a novel m6A-regulated long non-coding RNA, induces EMT in cervical cancer by binding to ZEB1

•LINC00426 was aberrantly highly expressed in CC, and can significantly promote cell proliferation, migration and invasion.•METIL3 is believed to enhance the expression of LINC00426 through m6A methylation modification.•LINC00426 functions as a ceRNA by regulating ZEB1 through competitive binding with miR-200a-3p.•The LINC00426/miR-200a-3p/ZEB1 axis plays a crucial role in regulating E-cadherin, N-cadherin and vimentin during EMT in CC.•Overexpression of LINC00426 in CC cells caused resistance to Cisplatin and Bleomycin, but sensitivity to imatinib.