m⁶A: An Emerging Role in Programmed Cell Death

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Cell Biology
• Epigenetics

Background:

• Programmed cell death encompasses diverse active cell extinction processes like apoptosis and ferroptosis.
• N6-methyladenosine (m⁶A) is a prevalent and reversible RNA modification crucial for gene regulation.
• m⁶A modification impacts mRNA metabolism, miRNA maturation, and the stability of non-coding RNAs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the multifaceted roles of m⁶A modification in regulating programmed cell death.
• To elucidate the mechanisms by which m⁶A regulators (writers, erasers, readers) influence cell death pathways.

Main Methods:

• Literature review synthesizing current research on m⁶A and programmed cell death.
• Analysis of molecular mechanisms linking m⁶A regulators to cell death pathways.
• Integration of findings on m⁶A's impact on mRNA, miRNA, circRNA, and lncRNA metabolism in cell death.

Main Results:

• m⁶A modification is intricately involved in modulating apoptosis, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis.
• Writers, erasers, and readers of m⁶A dynamically regulate target gene expression to promote or inhibit cell death.
• m⁶A-dependent regulation of RNA stability and translation is a key mechanism in programmed cell death.

Conclusions:

• m⁶A is a critical regulator of programmed cell death, impacting multiple cell death modalities.
• Dysregulation of m⁶A pathways contributes to various disease processes.
• Targeting m⁶A regulators offers potential therapeutic strategies for diseases involving aberrant cell death.