Genetic and epigenetic defects of the RNA modification machinery in cancer

Cancer was initially considered to be an exclusively genetic disease, but an interplay of dysregulated genetic and epigenetic mechanisms is now known to contribute to the cancer phenotype. More recently, chemical modifications of RNA molecules - the so-called epitranscriptome - have been found to regulate various aspects of RNA function and homeostasis. Specific enzymes, known as RNAmodifying proteins (RMPs), are responsible for depositing, removing, and reading chemical modifications in RNA. Intensive investigations in the epitranscriptomic field in recent years, in conjunction with great technological advances, have revealed the critical role of RNA modifications in regulating numerous cellular pathways. Furthermore, growing evidence has revealed that RNA modification machinery is often altered in human cancers, highlighting the enormous potential of RMPs as pharmacological targets or diagnostic markers.

Automated summary

Cancer was once believed to be solely genetic, but now it is known that dysregulated genetic and epigenetic mechanisms work together in cancer development. Recently, the epitranscriptome, which refers to chemical modifications of RNA molecules, has been found to play a role in regulating RNA function. Specific enzymes responsible for these modifications, known as RMPs, are being investigated for their potential as therapeutic targets or diagnostic markers in cancer. The study of epitranscriptomics has revealed the critical role of RNA modifications in cellular pathways and their potential importance in cancer treatment.