Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 15, 2026

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Cancer Drug Sensitization In Vitro and In Vivo
09:19

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Cancer Drug Sensitization In Vitro and In Vivo

Published on: February 6, 2015

9.1K

RNA modifications in cancer: from biological insights to therapeutic targets

Yutao Zhao1, Chuan He1

  • 1Department of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.

Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry
|October 14, 2025
PubMed

Insights

RNA modifications like N6-methyladenosine (m6A) regulate gene expression and impact diseases. Targeting these epitranscriptomic marks shows therapeutic potential in preclinical cancer models.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • RNA modifications are crucial for gene expression regulation and cellular homeostasis.
  • Key modifications like N6-methyladenosine (m6A) and pseudouridine (Ψ) affect transcription, splicing, stability, and translation.
  • Epitranscriptomics, the study of RNA modifications, has rapidly advanced due to high-throughput sequencing.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a historical overview of epitranscriptomics.
  • To examine the biological functions of RNA modifications, particularly in cancer development.
  • To summarize recent therapeutic strategies targeting RNA modification pathways.

Main Methods:

  • Review of key discoveries and technological advancements in epitranscriptomics.
  • Analysis of literature on the roles of RNA modifications in cancer.
  • Summary of preclinical studies on small-molecule inhibitors targeting RNA modification effectors.

Main Results:

  • RNA modifications play significant roles in various cellular processes.
  • These modifications are implicated as drivers in cancer development.
  • Small-molecule inhibitors targeting RNA modification pathways show promise in preclinical cancer models.

Conclusions:

  • RNA modifications are essential regulators of gene expression with implications for human diseases.
  • Targeting the epitranscriptome represents a promising therapeutic avenue for cancer treatment.
Keywords:
Cancer biologyEpitranscriptomicsN6-methyladenosine (m6A)Pseudouridine (Ψ)RNA modificationsSmall-molecule inhibitors

More Related Videos

Visualizing Genetic Variants, Short Targets, and Point Mutations in the Morphological Tissue Context with an RNA In Situ Hybridization Assay10:57

Visualizing Genetic Variants, Short Targets, and Point Mutations in the Morphological Tissue Context with an RNA In Situ Hybridization Assay

Published on: August 14, 2018

11.2K
Utilizing a Comprehensive Immunoprecipitation Enrichment System to Identify an Endogenous Post-translational Modification Profile for Target Proteins08:12

Utilizing a Comprehensive Immunoprecipitation Enrichment System to Identify an Endogenous Post-translational Modification Profile for Target Proteins

Published on: January 8, 2018

11.8K

Related Concept Videos

Cancer02:18

Cancer

Cancers arise due to mutations in genes involved in the regulation of cell division, which leads to unrestricted cell proliferation. Modern science and medicine have made great strides in the understanding and treatment of cancer, including eradicating cancer in some patients. However, there is still no cure for cancer. This is largely due to the fact that cancer is a large group of many diseases.
53.5K
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
8.6K
Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells02:53

Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells

Cancer cells accumulate genetic changes at an abnormally rapid rate due to the defects in the DNA repair mechanisms. From an evolutionary perspective, such genetic instability is advantageous for cancer development. Mutant cell lines accumulate a series of beneficial mutations that contribute to their progression into cancer.
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
6.9K
Cancers Originate from Somatic Mutations in a Single Cell02:21

Cancers Originate from Somatic Mutations in a Single Cell

Cancer arises from mutations in the critical genes that allow healthy cells to escape cell cycle regulation and acquire the ability to proliferate indefinitely. Though originating from a single mutation event in one of the originator cells, cancer progresses when the mutant cell lines continue to gain more and more mutations, and finally, become malignant. For example, chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) develops initially as a non-lethal increase in white blood cells, which progressively...
14.6K
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
4.6K
Abnormal Proliferation02:23

Abnormal Proliferation

Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the...
5.1K