Recent Advances in RNA m⁶A Modification in Solid Tumors and Tumor Immunity

An analogous field to epigenetics is referred to as epitranscriptomics, which focuses on the study of post-transcriptional chemical modifications in RNA. RNA molecules, including mRNA, tRNA, rRNA, and other non-coding RNA molecules, can be edited with numerous modifications. The most prevalent modification in eukaryotic mRNA is N6-methyladenosine (m⁶A), which is a reversible modification found in over 7000 human genes. Recent technological advances have accelerated the characterization of these modifications, and they have been shown to play important roles in many biological processes, including pathogenic processes such as cancer. In this chapter, we discuss the role of m⁶A mRNA modification in cancer with a focus on solid tumor biology and immunity. m⁶A RNA methylation and its regulatory proteins can play context-dependent roles in solid tumor development and progression by modulating RNA metabolism to drive oncogenic or tumor-suppressive cellular pathways. m⁶A RNA methylation also plays dynamic roles within both immune cells and tumor cells to mediate the anti-tumor immune response. Finally, an emerging area of research within epitranscriptomics studies the role of m⁶A RNA methylation in promoting sensitivity or resistance to cancer therapies, including chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. Overall, our understanding of m⁶A RNA methylation in solid tumors has advanced significantly, and continued research is needed both to fill gaps in knowledge and to identify potential areas of focus for therapeutic development.