[Research progress on the involvement of N6-methyladenosine modification in the regulation of immune response in...

Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection, its exact pathogenesis has not yet been fully elucidated, and the clinical mortality rate remains high. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is a common form of post-transcriptional chemical modification in eukaryotes. By influencing RNA splicing, nuclear-cytoplasmic transport, and translation, it plays a role in regulating various pathophysiological processes. Recent studies have revealed that dynamic changes in m6A modifications are associated with damage caused by the immune response in sepsis. During the progression of sepsis, alterations in the activity of m6A modification-associated methyltransferases, demethylases and recognition proteins within immune cells can influence the RNA metabolism of key downstream signalling molecules. m6A modification may participate in the chemotaxis of macrophages and neutrophils by regulating the expression of relevant transcription factors. Furthermore, m6A modification is also involved in regulating the RNA metabolic re-editing process of adaptive immune cells in sepsis. Focusing on the aforementioned pathophysiological processes, this review summarises the current state of research on the involvement of m6A modifications in macrophage polarisation, neutrophil migration, and the regulation of RNA metabolism and immune cell re-editing in sepsis. It aims to provide a reference for understanding the role of m6A modifications in immune regulation within the pathogenesis of sepsis and their potential clinical therapeutic applications.