Background: N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prevalent modification in mRNAs but its role in lumbosacral nerve root avulsion (LSRA) remains elusive. Materials & methods:Mettl3 expression and global m6A level were detected by qPCR, western blot and immunostaining. Altered m6A-tagged transcript profiles were revealed by methylated RNA immunoprecipitation and RNA sequencing. Results:Mettl3 and global m6A level were upregulated in spinal cord tissues of LSRA rats. In all, 1087 m6A peaks were differentially modified by m6A, of which 654 were upregulated and 433 downregulated. Biological functions of these transcripts and the hypermethylated or hypomethylated transcripts were also identified. Conclusion: Our findings revealed a profound function of m6A modification in LSRA, which provides new insights into its pathogenesis.
Keywords: RNA methylation; bioinformatics; epigenetics; lumbosacral nerve root avulsion; m6A.