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

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.