Wen You-Lu, Guo Fang, Gu Ting-Ting, Zeng Yan-Ping, Cao Xiong
Department of Psychology and Behavior, Guangdong 999 Brain Hospital, Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Genes Cells. 2025 Mar;30(2):e70003. doi: 10.1111/gtc.70003.
Astrocytes, the most prevalent type of glial cells, have been found to play a crucial part in numerous physiological functions. By offering metabolic and structural support, astrocytes are vital for the proper functioning of the brain and regulating information processing and synaptic transmission. Astrocytes located in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) are highly responsive to environmental changes and have been associated with the development of brain disorders. One of the primary mechanisms through which the brain responds to environmental factors is epitranscriptome modification. M6-methyladenosine methylation is the most prevalent internal modification of eukaryotic messenger RNA (mRNA), and it significantly impacts transcript processing and protein synthesis. However, the effects of m6A on astrocyte transcription and function are still not well understood. Our research demonstrates that ALKBH5, an RNA demethylase of m6A found in astrocytes, affects gene expression in the mPFC. These findings suggest that further investigation into the potential role of astrocyte-mediated m6A methylation in the mPFC is warranted.
星形胶质细胞是最常见的神经胶质细胞类型，已发现其在众多生理功能中发挥关键作用。通过提供代谢和结构支持，星形胶质细胞对大脑的正常运作以及调节信息处理和突触传递至关重要。位于内侧前额叶皮质（mPFC）的星形胶质细胞对环境变化高度敏感，并与脑部疾病的发展有关。大脑对环境因素作出反应的主要机制之一是表观转录组修饰。N6-甲基腺苷（m6A）甲基化是真核生物信使核糖核酸（mRNA）最普遍的内部修饰，它对转录物加工和蛋白质合成有显著影响。然而，m6A对星形胶质细胞转录和功能的影响仍未得到充分了解。我们的研究表明，在星形胶质细胞中发现的一种m6A RNA去甲基化酶ALKBH5会影响mPFC中的基因表达。这些发现表明，有必要进一步研究星形胶质细胞介导的m6A甲基化在mPFC中的潜在作用。
