The emerging roles of N6-methyladenosine RNA methylation in human cancers

N6-methyladenosine (m(6)A) is the most abundant form of mRNA modification in eukaryotes. It affects various aspects of RNA metabolism, including nuclear export, translation, decay and alternative splicing. In addition, m(6)A also participates in a great number of human physiological processes, ranging from spermatogenesis modulation, response to heat shock, the control of T cell homeostasis to stem cell proliferation and differentiation. The dynamic equilibrium of m(6)A level is regulated by m(6)A methyltransferases (“writers”), m(6)A demethylases (“erasers”) as well as m(6)A-binding proteins (“readers”). Once the balance is broken, numerous diseases will knock on the door. Recently, increasing studies reveal that m(6)A methylation exerts a profound impact on tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Therefore, in this review, we summarize the functions of m(6)A modification and its emerging roles in human cancers, and discuss the potential of m(6)A regulators as biomarkers or therapeutic targets.