Emerging function of N6‑methyladenosine in cancer (Review)

  • Authors:
    • Kwonho Hong
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  • Published online on: September 4, 2018     https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2018.9395
  • Pages: 5519-5524
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Abstract

N6‑methyladenosine (m6A) modification in RNA has been implicated in diverse biological processes including the maintenance of embryonic stem cells, early development and diseases. Although the m6A modification was discovered several decades ago, its biological function remained unclear. The recent discovery of enzymes responsible for ‘writing’ or ‘erasing’ the modification and single‑nucleotide resolution mapping by next‑generation sequencing technology have revealed its function in biological processes. Its enrichment pattern is conserved in mammalian transcriptomes, and the level of m6A is tightly regulated by methyltransferases (writers), demethylases (erasers) and binding proteins (readers). Furthermore, accumulating evidence suggests that the aberrant regulation of m6A turnover is associated with multiple types of cancer including acute myeloid leukemia, breast cancer, glioblastoma, lung cancer and liver cancer. Studies have demonstrated that factors involved in m6A metabolism serve either oncogenic or tumor‑suppressor roles in different contexts. The previous studies of the role of m6A in cancer biology are discussed in the present review.
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November-2018
Volume 16 Issue 5

Print ISSN: 1792-1074
Online ISSN:1792-1082

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Spandidos Publications style
Hong K: Emerging function of N6‑methyladenosine in cancer (Review). Oncol Lett 16: 5519-5524, 2018
APA
Hong, K. (2018). Emerging function of N6‑methyladenosine in cancer (Review). Oncology Letters, 16, 5519-5524. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2018.9395
MLA
Hong, K."Emerging function of N6‑methyladenosine in cancer (Review)". Oncology Letters 16.5 (2018): 5519-5524.
Chicago
Hong, K."Emerging function of N6‑methyladenosine in cancer (Review)". Oncology Letters 16, no. 5 (2018): 5519-5524. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2018.9395