N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is a post-transcriptional RNA modification and one of the most abundant types of RNA chemical modifications. m6A functions as a molecular switch and is involved in a range of biomedical aspects, including cardiovascular diseases, the central nervous system, and cancers. Conceptually, m6A methylation can be dynamically and reversibly modulated by RNA methylation regulatory proteins, resulting in diverse fates of mRNAs. This review focuses on m6A demethylases fat-mass- and obesity-associated protein (FTO) and alkB homolog 5 (ALKBH5), which especially erase m6A modification from target mRNAs. Recent advances have highlighted that FTO and ALKBH5 play an oncogenic role in various cancers, such as acute myeloid leukemias (AML), glioblastoma, and breast cancer. Moreover, studies in vitro and in models confirmed that FTO-specific inhibitors exhibited anti-tumor effects in several cancers. Accumulating evidence has suggested the possibility of FTO and ALKBH5 as therapeutic targets for specific diseases. In this review, we aim to illustrate the structural properties of these two m6A demethylases and the development of their specific inhibitors. Additionally, this review will summarize the biological functions of these two m6A demethylases in various types of cancers and other human diseases.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9144293 | PMC |
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms23105815 | DOI Listing |
J Virol
January 2025
Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Alpha-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase, also known as fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO), is an RNA demethylase that mediates the demethylation of N,2-O-dimethyladenosine (m6Am) and N-methyladenosine (m6A). Both m6Am and m6A are prevalent modifications in mRNA and affect different aspects of transcript biology, including splicing, nuclear export, translation efficiency, and degradation. The role of FTO during (herpes) virus infection remains largely unexplored.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Rep
January 2025
Department of Endocrinology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, No. 950 Donghai Street, Fengze District, Quanzhou, 362000, Fujian, China.
The significance of ALKBH5 in erasing mRNA methylation in mRNA biogenesis, decay, and translation control has emerged as a prominent research focus. Additionally, ALKBH5 is associated with the development of numerous human cancers. However, it remains unclear whether ALKBH5 regulates the growth and metastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Hazard Mater
January 2025
The First Affiliated Hospital, MOE Education Key Laboratory of Geriatric Diseases and Immunology, Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Preventive and Translational Medicine for Major Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases, China. Electronic address:
An ever-increasing body of research has established a link between maternal PM2.5 exposure and congenital heart diseases in the offspring, but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. We recently reported that activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) by PM2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Exp Clin Cancer Res
January 2025
Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
Background: Alternative splicing (AS) is a process that facilitates the differential inclusion of exonic sequences from precursor messenger RNAs, significantly enhancing the diversity of the transcriptome and proteome. In cancer, pathogenic AS events are closely related to cancer progression. This study aims to investigate the role and regulatory mechanisms of AS in gastric cancer (GC).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAm J Physiol Cell Physiol
January 2025
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China.
Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) and N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation modification have recently been suggested as potential functional modulators in ovarian endometriosis, however, the function and mechanism of m6A-modified lncRNA in ovarian endometriosis remain poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrated that lncRNA UBOX5-AS1 expression was significantly elevated in ovarian endometriosis tissue and primary ectopic endometrial stromal cells. The expression of lncRNA UBOX5-AS1, which has m6A modifications, was highly positively correlated with demethylase Alk B homologous protein 5 (ALKBH5) expression and autophagy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!