The Emerging Roles of RNA m6A Methylation and Demethylation as Critical Regulators of Tumorigenesis, Drug Sensitivity, and Resistance

RNA N-6-methyladenosine (m(6)A) modification occurs in approximately 25% of mRNAs at the transcriptome-wide level. RNA m(6)A is regulated by the RNA m(6)A methyltransferases methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3), METTL14, and METTL16 (writers), demethylases FTO and ALKBH5 (erasers), and binding proteins YTHDC1-2, YTHDF1-3, IGF2BP1-3, and SND1 (readers). These RNA m(6)A modification proteins are frequently upregulated or downregulated in human cancer tissues and are often associated with poor patient prognosis. By modulating pre-mRNA splicing, mRNA nuclear export, decay, stability, and translation of oncogenic and tumor suppressive transcripts, RNA m(6)A modification proteins regulate cancer cell proliferation, survival, migration, invasion, tumor initiation, progression, metastasis, and sensitivity to anticancer therapies. Importantly, small-molecule activators of METTL3, as well as inhibitors of METTL3, FTO, ALKBH5, and IGF2BP1 have recently been identified and have shown considerable anticancer effects when administered alone or in combination with other anticancer agents, both in vitro and in mouse models of human cancers. Future compound screening and design of more potent and selective RNA m(6)A modification protein inhibitors and activators are expected to provide novel anticancer agents, appropriate for clinical trials in patients with cancer tissues harboring aberrant RNA m(6)A modification protein expression or RNA m(6)A modification protein-induced resistance to cancer therapy.

Automated summary

RNA m(6)A modification plays a key role in various biological processes in cancer, with its regulatory proteins often dysregulated in human cancer tissues and associated with poor patient prognosis. Recently identified small-molecule activators and inhibitors have shown significant anticancer effects, suggesting potential for development of novel anticancer agents in the future.