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Updated: Nov 12, 2025

Robust Ligature-Induced Model of Murine Periodontitis for the Evaluation of Oral Neutrophils
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Robust Ligature-Induced Model of Murine Periodontitis for the Evaluation of Oral Neutrophils

Published on: January 21, 2020

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m6A regulator-mediated RNA methylation modification patterns are involved in immune microenvironment regulation of

Xiaoqi Zhang1, Shizhen Zhang1, Xinyu Yan1

  • 1Department of Orthodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center of Oral Diseases, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.

Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine
|March 16, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Epigenetic RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification significantly impacts the periodontitis immune microenvironment. This study reveals m6A regulators are key to immune cell infiltration and function in periodontitis.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Epigenetics
  • Oral Biology

Background:

  • Epigenetic regulation, particularly RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification, is increasingly recognized for its role in immunity.
  • The specific involvement of m6A in the immune microenvironment of periodontitis remains largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of m6A modification on the immune microenvironment in periodontitis.
  • To identify m6A regulators and their associated immune characteristics in periodontitis.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic evaluation of RNA modification patterns mediated by 23 m6A regulators in 310 periodontitis samples.
  • Analysis of m6A modification's impact on infiltrating immunocytes, immune reaction gene-sets, and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes.
  • Identification of m6A phenotype-related immune genes.

Main Results:

  • 17 m6A regulators were found to be dysregulated, with a 15-m6A regulator signature distinguishing periodontitis from control samples.
  • Specific regulators (ALKBH5, FMR1, ELAVL1, CBLL1, LRPPRC) were linked to monocyte abundance, immune reactions (TNF family, Cytokine), and HLA gene expression.
  • Three distinct m6A modification patterns were identified, correlating with variations in immunocyte infiltration, immune response, and HLA gene expression.
  • 1631 m6A phenotype-related genes and 70 m6A-mediated immune genes were identified and functionally explored.

Conclusions:

  • m6A modification plays a critical role in shaping the diverse and complex immune microenvironment of periodontitis.
  • m6A regulators represent potential targets for understanding and potentially treating periodontitis-associated immune dysregulation.
Keywords:
RNA modificationepigeneticsimmune microenvironmentimmunitym6Aperiodontitis

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