N(1)-methyladenosine modification in cancer biology: Current status and future perspectives

Post-transcriptional modifications in RNAs regulate their biological behaviors and functions. N(1)-methyladenosine (m(1)A), which is dynamically regulated by writers, erasers and readers, has been found as a reversible modification in tRNA, mRNA, rRNA and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA). m(1)A modification has impacts on the RNA processing, structure and functions of targets. Increasing studies reveal the critical roles of m(1)A modification and its regulators in tumorigenesis. Due to the positive relevance between m(1)A and cancer development, targeting m(1)A modification and m(1)A-related regulators has been of attention. In this review, we summarized the current understanding of m(1)A in RNAs, covering the modulation of m(1)A modification in cancer biology, as well as the possibility of targeting m(1)A modification as a potential target for cancer diagnosis and therapy.