Multiple roles of m6A RNA modification in translational regulation in cancer

Despite its discovery in the early 1970s, m(6)A modification within mRNA molecules has only powerfully entered the oncology field in recent years. This chemical modification can control all aspects of the maturation of mRNAs, both in the nucleus and in the cytoplasm. Thus, the alteration in expression levels of writers, erasers, and readers may significantly contribute to the alteration of gene expression observed in cancer. In particular, the activation of oncogenic pathways can lead to an alteration of the global rate of mRNA translation or the selective translation of specific mRNAs. In both cases, m(6)A can play an important role. In this review, we highlight the role of m(6)A in the regulation of translation by focusing on regulatory mechanisms and cancer-related functions of this novel but still controversial field.