Comprehensive Analyses of the Expression, Genetic Alteration, Prognosis Significance, and Interaction Networks of m(6)A Regulators Across Human Cancers

Accumulating lines of evidence indicate that the deregulation of m(6)A is involved in various cancer types. The m(6)A RNA methylation is modulated by m(6)A methyltransferases, demethylases, and reader proteins. Although the aberrant expression of m(6)A RNA methylation contributes to the development and progression of multiple cancer types, the roles of m(6)A regulators across numerous types of cancers remain largely unknown. Here, we comprehensively investigated the expression, genetic alteration, and prognosis significance of 20 commonly studied m(6)A regulators across diverse cancer types using TCGA datasets via bioinformatic analyses. The results revealed that the m(6)A regulators exhibited widespread dysregulation, genetic alteration, and the modulation of oncogenic pathways across TCGA cancer types. In addition, most of the m(6)A regulators were closely relevant with significant prognosis in many cancer types. Furthermore, we also constructed the protein–protein interacting network of the 20 m(6)A regulators, and a more complex interacting regulatory network including m(6)A regulators and their corresponding interacting factors. Besides, the networks between m(6)A regulators and their upstream regulators such as miRNAs or transcriptional factors were further constructed in this study. Finally, the possible chemicals targeting each m(6)A regulator were obtained by bioinformatics analysis and the m(6)A regulators–potential drugs network was further constructed. Taken together, the comprehensive analyses of m(6)A regulators might provide novel insights into the m(6)A regulators’ roles across cancer types and shed light on their potential molecular mechanisms as well as help develop new therapy approaches for cancers.