-Methyladenosine modification: a novel pharmacological target for anti-cancer drug development

ABSTRACT

-Methyladenosine (mA) modification is the most pervasive modification of human mRNA molecules. It is reversible regulation of mA modification methyltransferase, demethylase and proteins that preferentially recognize mA modification as "writers", "erasers" and "readers", respectively. Altered expression levels of the mA modification key regulators substantially affect their function, leading to significant phenotype changes in the cell and organism. Recent studies have proved that the mA modification plays significant roles in regulation of metabolism, stem cell self-renewal, and metastasis in a variety of human cancers. In this review, we describe the potential roles of mA modification in human cancers and summarize their underlying molecular mechanisms. Moreover, we will highlight potential therapeutic approaches by targeting the key mA modification regulators for cancer drug development.