Review ArticleReview

Epigenetic N6-methyladenosine modification of RNA and DNA regulates cancer

Zhixian Liang, Reilly L. Kidwell, Haijing Deng and Qi Xie
Cancer Biology & Medicine February 2020, 17 (1) 9-19; DOI: https://doi.org/10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2019.0347

Article Figures & Data

Figures

  • Figure 1
    Figure 1

    Regulators of RNA m6A. RNA methylation of m6A is mediated by the METTL3–METTL14 complex, including METTL3, METTL14, WTAP, RBM15/15B, and KIAA1429, or METTL16 (“writers”). FTO and ALKBH5 function as m6A demethylases (“erasers”). YTHDC1–2, YTHDF1–3, eIF3, and IGFBP1–3 (“readers”) recognize and bind m6A, thereby regulating RNA processing, stability, translation, and splicing in an m6A-dependent manner.

  • Figure 2
    Figure 2

    Regulators of DNA 6mA. DNA 6mA is demethylated by ALKBH1. ALKBH1 regulates expression of hypoxia response genes and oncogenic genes in a 6mA-dependent manner. The 6mA methylase requires further investigation.

Tables

  • Table 1

    Roles of “writers”, “erasers”, and “readers” of m6A and 6mA in different tumors

    TargetClassNameTumorFunctionReference
    RNAmRNA“Writers”METTLGliomaMaintain stem cell pluripotency67
    Inhibit stem cell pluripotency66
    AMLMaintain stem cell pluripotency37
    Promote tumor progression54
    CRCPromote tumor progression56
    Bladder cancerPromote tumor progression39
    Promote tumorigenesis58
    HCCPromote tumor progression57
    Epithelial-mesenchymal transition51
    DNA damage response53
    Renal cancerSuppress tumor progression65
    METTL14AMLMaintain stem cell pluripotency38
    GliomaInhibit stem cell pluripotency66
    Renal cancerPromote tumor progression55
    Epithelial-mesenchymal transition, angiogenesis52
    Endometrial cancerSuppress tumor tumorigenicity64
    “Erasers”FTOAMLMaintain stem cell pluripotency40
    Promote tumor progression73
    MelanomaPromote tumor progression71
    Breast cancerPromote tumor progression72
    GliomaMaintain stem cell pluripotency66
    ALKBH5GliomaPromote tumorigenesis74
    “Readers”YTHDF2AMLMaintain stem cell pluripotency42
    Liver cancerPromote tumor progression57
    YTHDF1MelanomaSuppress antitumor immunity87
    IGFBP1Ovarian cancer; liver cancer; lung cancerPromote tumor progression86
    Non-coding RNA“Writer”METTL3Bladder cancer;Promote tumor progression59
    Gastric cancerPromote tumor progression63
    “Eraser”ALKBH5Gastric cancerPromote tumor progression75
    DNADNA“Writer”N6AMT1Gastric cancer; liver cancerInhibit tumorigenesis and metastasis29
    “Eraser”ALKBH1GlioblastomaMaintain cell viability and stemness properties30
    Gastric cancer; liver cancerPromote tumorigenesis and metastasis29

    AML, acute myelocytic leukemia; CRC, colorectal carcinoma; HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma.

    Back to top

    In this issue

    Print
    Download PDF
    Email Article
    Citation Tools

    Jump to section

    Keywords