m1A methylation modification patterns and metabolic characteristics in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND: The dysregulation of RNA methylation has been demonstrated to contribute to tumorigenicity and progression in recent years. However, the alteration of N1-methyladenosine (m1A) methylation and its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unclear. METHODS: We systematically investigated the modification patterns of 10 m1A regulators in HCC samples and evaluated the metabolic characteristics of each pattern. A scoring system named the m1Ascore was developed using principal component analysis. The clinical value of the m1Ascore in risk stratification and drug screening was further explored. RESULTS: Three m1A modification patterns with distinct metabolic characteristics were identified, corresponding to the metabolism-high, metabolism-intermediate and metabolism-excluded phenotypes. Patients were divided into high- or low-m1Ascore groups, and a significant survival difference was observed. External validation confirmed the prognostic value of the m1Ascore. A nomogram incorporating the m1Ascore and other clinicopathological factors was constructed and had good performance for predicting survival. Two agents, mitoxantrone and doxorubicin, were determined to be potential therapeutic drugs for the high-risk group. CONCLUSION: This study provided novel insights into m1A modification and metabolic heterogeneity in cancer, promoted risk stratification in the clinic from the perspective of m1A modification, and further guided individual treatment strategies. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12876-022-02160-w.