The role of m6A modification in the biological functions and diseases.

1. Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2021 Feb 21;6(1):74. doi: 10.1038/s41392-020-00450-x. The role of m6A modification in the biological functions and diseases. Jiang X(#)(1)(2), Liu B(#)(1)(2), Nie Z(1)(2)(3), Duan L(3), Xiong Q(3), Jin Z(3), Yang C(4), Chen Y(5)(6). Author information: (1)Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, 650223, Kunming, Yunnan, China. (2)Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China. (3)Kunming Medical University, 650500, Kunming, China. (4)Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, 650223, Kunming, Yunnan, China. cuipingyang@mail.kiz.ac.cn. (5)Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, 650223, Kunming, Yunnan, China. ybchen@mail.kiz.ac.cn. (6)Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 650223, Kunming, Yunnan, China. ybchen@mail.kiz.ac.cn. (#)Contributed equally N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prevalent, abundant and conserved internal cotranscriptional modification in eukaryotic RNAs, especially within higher eukaryotic cells. m6A modification is modified by the m6A methyltransferases, or writers, such as METTL3/14/16, RBM15/15B, ZC3H3, VIRMA, CBLL1, WTAP, and KIAA1429, and, removed by the demethylases, or erasers, including FTO and ALKBH5. It is recognized by m6A-binding proteins YTHDF1/2/3, YTHDC1/2 IGF2BP1/2/3 and HNRNPA2B1, also known as "readers". Recent studies have shown that m6A RNA modification plays essential role in both physiological and pathological conditions, especially in the initiation and progression of different types of human cancers. In this review, we discuss how m6A RNA methylation influences both the physiological and pathological progressions of hematopoietic, central nervous and reproductive systems. We will mainly focus on recent progress in identifying the biological functions and the underlying molecular mechanisms of m6A RNA methylation, its regulators and downstream target genes, during cancer progression in above systems. We propose that m6A RNA methylation process offer potential targets for cancer therapy in the future. DOI: 10.1038/s41392-020-00450-x PMCID: PMC7897327 PMID: 33611339 [Indexed for MEDLINE] Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare no competing interests.