Emerging role of N6-methyladenosine RNA methylation in lung diseases.

In recent years, with the increase of air pollution, smoking, aging, and respiratory infection, the incidence rate and mortality of lung diseases are increasing annually, which has become a major hazard to human health. N6-methyladenosine (mA) RNA methylation is the most abundant modifications in eukaryotes, and such modified RNA can be specifically recognized and combined by mA recognition proteins and then mediate RNA splicing, maturation, enucleation, degradation, and translation. More and more studies have revealed that the mA modification is involved in the pathogenesis and development of some diseases; however, the mechanisms of mA in lung diseases are poorly understood. In this review, we summarize the latest progress in the biological function of mA modifications in lung diseases and discuss the potential therapeutic and prognostic strategies. The dysregulation of global mA levels and mA regulators may affect the occurrence and development of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and other lung diseases through inflammation and immune function. In lung cancer, this modification has an important impact on malignant cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and drug resistance. In addition, abnormally changed mA-modified proteins in lung cancer tissue samples and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) may be used as diagnostic and prognostic markers of lung cancer. Models composed of multiple mA regulators can be used to evaluate the risk prediction or prognosis of asthma and pulmonary fibrosis. In general, the in-depth study of mA modifications is a frontier direction in disease research. It provides novel insights for understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying disease occurrence, development, and drug resistance, as well as for the development of effective novel therapeutics.