Role of Main RNA Methylation in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: N6-Methyladenosine, 5-Methylcytosine, and N1-Methyladenosine

Yating Xu; Menggang Zhang; Qiyao Zhang; Xiao Yu; Zongzong Sun; Yuting He; Wenzhi Guo

doi:10.3389/fcell.2021.767668

Role of Main RNA Methylation in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: N6-Methyladenosine, 5-Methylcytosine, and N1-Methyladenosine

Front Cell Dev Biol. 2021 Nov 30:9:767668. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2021.767668. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Yating Xu^{1

2

3

4}, Menggang Zhang^{1

2

3

4}, Qiyao Zhang^{1

2

3

4}, Xiao Yu^{1

2

3

4}, Zongzong Sun⁵, Yuting He^{1

2

3

4}, Wenzhi Guo^{1

2

3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
² Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
³ Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou, China.
⁴ Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, China.
⁵ Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.

Abstract

RNA methylation is considered a significant epigenetic modification, a process that does not alter gene sequence but may play a necessary role in multiple biological processes, such as gene expression, genome editing, and cellular differentiation. With advances in RNA detection, various forms of RNA methylation can be found, including N6-methyladenosine (m6A), N1-methyladenosine (m1A), and 5-methylcytosine (m5C). Emerging reports confirm that dysregulation of RNA methylation gives rise to a variety of human diseases, particularly hepatocellular carcinoma. We will summarize essential regulators of RNA methylation and biological functions of these modifications in coding and noncoding RNAs. In conclusion, we highlight complex molecular mechanisms of m6A, m5C, and m1A associated with hepatocellular carcinoma and hope this review might provide therapeutic potent of RNA methylation to clinical research.

Keywords: M6A; RNA methylation; hepatocellular carcinoma; m1A; m5C.

Publication types

Review