Current insights into the implications of m6A RNA methylation and autophagy interaction in human diseases

Xuechai Chen; Jianan Wang; Muhammad Tahir; Fangfang Zhang; Yuanyuan Ran; Zongjian Liu; Juan Wang

doi:10.1186/s13578-021-00661-x

Current insights into the implications of m6A RNA methylation and autophagy interaction in human diseases

Cell Biosci. 2021 Jul 27;11(1):147. doi: 10.1186/s13578-021-00661-x.

Authors

Xuechai Chen¹, Jianan Wang¹, Muhammad Tahir¹, Fangfang Zhang¹, Yuanyuan Ran², Zongjian Liu³, Juan Wang⁴

Affiliations

¹ Center of Excellence for Environmental Safety and Biological Effects, Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Antiviral Drugs, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, 100 Ping Le Yuan, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100124, People's Republic of China.
² Department of Rehabilitation, Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital, Capital Medical University, Xixiazhuang, Badachu, Beijing, 100144, People's Republic of China.
³ Department of Rehabilitation, Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital, Capital Medical University, Xixiazhuang, Badachu, Beijing, 100144, People's Republic of China. liuzj888@ccmu.edu.cn.
⁴ Center of Excellence for Environmental Safety and Biological Effects, Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Antiviral Drugs, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, 100 Ping Le Yuan, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100124, People's Republic of China. juanwang@bjut.edu.cn.

Abstract

Autophagy is a conserved degradation process crucial to maintaining the primary function of cellular and organismal metabolism. Impaired autophagy could develop numerous diseases, including cancer, cardiomyopathy, neurodegenerative disorders, and aging. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most common RNA modification in eukaryotic cells, and the fate of m6A modified transcripts is controlled by m6A RNA binding proteins. m6A modification influences mRNA alternative splicing, stability, translation, and subcellular localization. Intriguingly, recent studies show that m6A RNA methylation could alter the expression of essential autophagy-related (ATG) genes and influence the autophagy function. Thus, both m6A modification and autophagy could play a crucial role in the onset and progression of various human diseases. In this review, we summarize the latest studies describing the impact of m6A modification in autophagy regulation and discuss the role of m6A modification-autophagy axis in different human diseases, including obesity, heart disease, azoospermatism or oligospermatism, intervertebral disc degeneration, and cancer. The comprehensive understanding of the m6A modification and autophagy interplay may help in interpreting their impact on human diseases and may aid in devising future therapeutic strategies.

Keywords: Autophagy; Azoospermatism; Cancer; Ischemic heart disease; Obesity; RNA methylation; m6A.

Publication types

Review

Abstract

Publication types

Grants and funding