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Updated: Oct 26, 2025

Characterizing RNA Modifications in Single Neurons Using Mass Spectrometry
Published on: April 21, 2022
N6-methyladenosine RNA modification: A promising regulator in central nervous system injury
Qiang Wang1, Yundan Liang2, Xiaolei Luo3
1Laboratory of Molecular Translational Medicine, Center for Translational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, PR China; Department of Immunology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, PR China.
Abstract:
In addition to DNA methylation, reversible epigenetic modification occurring in RNA has been discovered recently. The most abundant type of RNA methylation is N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification, which is dynamically regulated by methylases ("writers"), demethylases ("erasers") and m6A-binding proteins ("readers"). As an essential posttranscriptional regulator, m6A can control mRNA splicing, processing, stability, export and translation. Recent studies have revealed that m6A modification has the strongest tissue specificity for brain tissue and plays crucial roles in central nervous system (CNS) injures by affecting its downstream target genes or non-coding RNAs. This review focuses on the expression and function of m6A regulatory proteins in CNS trauma in vitro and in vivo. We also highlight the latest insights into the molecular mechanisms of pathological damage in the CNS. Understanding m6A dynamics, functions, and machinery will yield an opportunity for designing and developing novel therapeutic agents for CNS injuries.
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