The m(6)A RNA Modification Modulates Gene Expression and Fibrosis-Related Pathways in Hypertrophic Scar

Purpose: To systematically analyze the overall m(6)A modification pattern in hyperplastic scars (HS). Methods: The m(6)A modification patterns in HS and normal skin (NS) tissues were described by m(6)A sequencing and RNA sequencing, and subsequently bioinformatics analysis was performed. The m(6)A-related RNA was immunoprecipitated and verified by real-time quantitative PCR. Results: The appearance of 14,791 new m(6)A peaks in the HS sample was accompanied by the disappearance of 7,835 peaks. The unique m(6)A-related genes in HS were thus associated with fibrosis-related pathways. We identified the differentially expressed mRNA transcripts in HS samples with hyper-methylated or hypo-methylated m(6)A peaks. Conclusion: This study is the first to map the m(6)A transcriptome of human HS, which may help clarify the possible mechanism of m(6)A-mediated gene expression regulation.