The Relationship Between the Network of Non-coding RNAs-Molecular Targets and N6-Methyladenosine Modification in Colorectal Cancer

Senxu Lu; Xiangyu Ding; Yuanhe Wang; Xiaoyun Hu; Tong Sun; Minjie Wei; Xiaobin Wang; Huizhe Wu

doi:10.3389/fcell.2021.772542

The Relationship Between the Network of Non-coding RNAs-Molecular Targets and N6-Methyladenosine Modification in Colorectal Cancer

Front Cell Dev Biol. 2021 Dec 6:9:772542. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2021.772542. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Senxu Lu^{1

2}, Xiangyu Ding^{1

2}, Yuanhe Wang³, Xiaoyun Hu^{1

2}, Tong Sun^{1

2}, Minjie Wei^{1

2

4}, Xiaobin Wang⁵, Huizhe Wu^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
² Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, Liaoning Cancer Immune Peptide Drug Engineering Technology Research Center, Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
³ Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
⁴ Shenyang Kangwei Medical Laboratory Analysis Co. Ltd., Liaoning, China.
⁵ Center of Reproductive Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.

Abstract

Recent accumulating researches implicate that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) including microRNA (miRNA), circular RNA (circRNA), and long non-coding RNA (lncRNAs) play crucial roles in colorectal cancer (CRC) initiation and development. Notably, N6-methyladenosine (m⁶A) methylation, the critical posttranscriptional modulators, exerts various functions in ncRNA metabolism such as stability and degradation. However, the interaction regulation network among ncRNAs and the interplay with m⁶A-related regulators has not been well documented, particularly in CRC. Here, we summarize the interaction networks and sub-networks of ncRNAs in CRC based on a data-driven approach from the publications (IF > 6) in the last quinquennium (2016-2021). Further, we extend the regulatory pattern between the core m⁶A regulators and m⁶A-related ncRNAs in the context of CRC metastasis and progression. Thus, our review will highlight the clinical potential of ncRNAs and m⁶A modifiers as promising biomarkers and therapeutic targets for improving the diagnostic precision and treatment of CRC.

Keywords: N6-methyladenosine modification; colorectal cancer; interaction network; long non-coding RNA; micro RNA.

Publication types

Review