When N7-methyladenosine modification meets cancer: Emerging frontiers and promising therapeutic opportunities

N7-methylguanosine (m7G) methylation, one of the most common RNA modifications in eukaryotes, has recently gained considerable attention. The biological functions of m7G modification in RNAs, including tRNA, rRNA, mRNA, and miRNA, remain largely unknown in human diseases. Owing to rapid advances in high-throughput technologies, increasing evidence suggests that m7G modification plays a critical role in cancer initiation and progression. As m7G modification and hallmarks of cancer are inextricably linked together, targeting m7G regulators may provide new possibilities for future cancer diagnoses and potential intervention targets. This review summarizes various detection methods for m7G modification, recent advances in m7G modification and tumor biology regarding their interplay and regulatory mechanisms. We conclude with an outlook on the future of diagnosing and treating m7G-related diseases.

Automated summary

N7-methylguanosine (m7G) methylation is one of the most common RNA modifications in eukaryotes, and its biological functions in human diseases are largely unknown. Recent advances in high-throughput technologies have shown that m7G modification plays a critical role in cancer initiation and progression, and targeting m7G regulators may provide new possibilities for cancer diagnoses and interventions. This review summarizes various detection methods for m7G modification, recent advances in m7G modification and tumor biology, and provides an outlook on diagnosing and treating m7G-related diseases.