Insights into the role of RNA m6A modification in the metabolic process and related diseases

Abstract

According to the latest consensus, many traditional diseases are considered metabolic diseases, such as cancer, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. Currently, metabolic diseases are increasingly prevalent because of the ever-improving living standards and have become the leading threat to human health. Multiple therapy methods have been applied to treat these diseases, which improves the quality of life of many patients, but the overall effect is still unsatisfactory. Therefore, intensive research on the metabolic process and the pathogenesis of metabolic diseases is imperative. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is an important modification of eukaryotic RNAs. It is a critical regulator of gene expression that is involved in different cellular functions and physiological processes. Many studies have indicated that m6A modification regulates the development of many metabolic processes and metabolic diseases. In this review, we summarized recent studies on the role of m6A modification in different metabolic processes and metabolic diseases. Additionally, we highlighted the potential m6A-targeted therapy for metabolic diseases, expecting to facilitate m6A-targeted strategies in the treatment of metabolic diseases.