Methyladenosine Modification in RNAs: From Regulatory Roles to Therapeutic Implications in Cancer

Simple Summary Cancer remains a burden to the public health all over the world. An increasing number of studies have concentrated on the role of methyladenosine modifications on cancers. Methyladenosine modifications mainly include N6-methyladenosine (m(6)A), N1-methyladenosine (m(1)A), and 2'-O-methyladenosine (m(6)A(m)), of which dynamic changes could modulate the metabolism of RNAs in eukaryotic cells. Mounting evidence has confirmed the crucial role of methyladenosine modification in cancer, offering possibilities for cancer therapy. In this review, we discussed the regulatory role of methyladenosine modification on cancer, as well as their potential for treatment. Methyladenosine modifications are the most abundant RNA modifications, including N6-methyladenosine (m(6)A), N1-methyladenosine (m(1)A), and 2'-O-methyladenosine (m(6)A(m)). As reversible epigenetic modifications, methyladenosine modifications in eukaryotic RNAs are not invariable. Drastic alterations of m(6)A are found in a variety of diseases, including cancers. Dynamic changes of m(6)A modification induced by abnormal methyltransferase, demethylases, and readers can regulate cancer progression via interfering with the splicing, localization, translation, and stability of mRNAs. Meanwhile, m(6)A, m(1)A, and m(6)A(m) modifications also exert regulatory effects on noncoding RNAs in cancer progression. In this paper, we reviewed recent findings concerning the underlying biomechanism of methyladenosine modifications in oncogenesis and metastasis and discussed the therapeutic potential of methyladenosine modifications in cancer treatments.