Roles of RNA methylation by means of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) in human cancers

Abstract

Reversible methylation by means of N6-methyladenosine (m⁶A) is the most prevalent internal modification in mammalian mRNA. This RNA chemical mark is created by proteins that are m⁶A "writers" and can be reversed by proteins that are m⁶A "erasers" (i.e., demethylases). Some other proteins serving as "readers" can recognize m⁶A-containing mRNA and regulate downstream molecular mechanisms accordingly. Although m⁶A bases in RNA perform critical functions in important biological processes, their roles in cancer biology and cancer stem cells remain largely unknown. In this review, we focus on the m⁶A-associated mechanisms and modification landscapes in several major malignant tumors. Global and detailed analyses were both conducted on relevant high-throughput sequencing data. Possible interventions against m⁶A demethylases are also explored in this review, which may be advantageous for the treatment of m⁶A related cancers.

Keywords: Cancer therapy; Human cancers; N6-methyladenosine; RNA methylation; m(6)A.