m6A甲基化调控神经系统及相关疾病的功能研究进展

Recent advance in N6-methyladenine methylation regulating neurodevelopment and neurological diseases

在已知的众多发生在信使RNA(mRNA)内部的修饰方式中,N6-甲基腺嘌呤(m6A)修饰是真核生物最常见的一种转录后修饰,占所有RNA甲基化修饰的80%。分子层面上,m6A这种可逆的修饰方式参与调节mRNA的可变剪切、出核、翻译、降解等过程。已有研究揭示了m6A修饰参与调控DNA损伤修复、细胞分化、个体生长发育以及学习记忆和免疫调控等多个生理过程,而这种修饰近年来也成为神经科学领域的一个重要的研究方向。本文围绕m6A的分子调控机制及其在神经系统的发育和相关疾病的发生发展中的作用进展进行综述,以期为开展以m6A为靶向的神经相关研究提供新的思路。

Among the abundant known modifications that occur within messenger RNA(mRNA),N6-methyladenine(m6A)is the most common post-transcriptional modification in eukaryotes,accounting for almost 80%of all RNA methylation modification.At molecule level,m6A,a reversible modification,participates in regulation of the shearing,nucleation,translation,and degradation of mRNA.Existing studies have also revealed that m6A modification is involved in multiple physiological and pathological processes such as DNA damage repair,stem cell self-renew and differentiation,growth and development,learning and memory,and immune regulation;this kind of modification has also become an important research direction in the field of neuroscience recently.This article mainly summarizes recent processes in the molecular mechanisms of m6A methylation and its relevance to the neurodevelopment and neurological diseases,with aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of m6A regulation in this research area.