Emerging roles of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification in breast cancer

Abstract

AbstractN6-Methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant, dynamic, and reversible epigenetic RNA modification that is found in coding and non-coding RNAs. Emerging studies have shown that m6A and its regulators affect multiple steps in RNA metabolism and play broad roles in various cancers. Worldwide, breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in female. It is a very heterogeneous disease characterized by genetic and epigenetic variations in tumor cells. Increasing evidence has shown that the dysregulation of m6A-related effectors, as methyltransferases, demethylases, and m6A binding proteins, is pivotal in breast cancer pathogenesis. In this review, we have summarized the most up-to-date research on the biological functions of m6A modification in breast cancer and have discussed the potential clinical applications and future directions of m6A modification as a biomarker as well as a therapeutic target of breast cancer.