N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is a potential agonist of adenosine with an ED50 value of 17250nM[1]. N6-methyladenosine is the methylation occurring at the N6 position of adenine, and is the most common internal modification on eukaryotic mRNA[2]. N6-methyladenosine regulates gene expression, thereby controlling a series of processes such as cell self-renewal, differentiation, invasion and apoptosis[3]. A global decrease in N6-methyladenosine (m6A) results in double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) formation and a profound cell-intrinsic interferon response[4]. The changes in N6-methyladenosine levels are closely related to the clinical and pathological features of gastrointestinal tumors and liver cancer. N6-methyladenosine has become a potential diagnostic and prognostic marker or a promising therapeutic target[5].
References:
[1] Ribeiro J A, Sebastião A M. On the type of receptor involved in the inhibitory action of adenosine at the neuromuscular junction[J]. British journal of pharmacology, 1985, 84(4): 911.
[2] Chen M, Wong C M. The emerging roles of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) deregulation in liver carcinogenesis[J]. Molecular cancer, 2020, 19(1): 44.
[3] He L, Li H, Wu A, et al. Functions of N6-methyladenosine and its role in cancer[J]. Molecular cancer, 2019, 18(1): 176.
[4] Guirguis A A, Ofir-Rosenfeld Y, Knezevic K, et al. Inhibition of METTL3 results in a cell-intrinsic interferon response that enhances antitumor immunity[J]. Cancer Discovery, 2023, 13(10): 2228-2247.
[5] Zhu D H, Su K K, Ou-Yang X X, et al. Mechanisms and clinical landscape of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification in gastrointestinal tract cancers[J]. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, 2024, 479(7): 1553-1570.