Liu Hui, Luo Hui, Jin Ming, Zheng Zhen, Xi Yang, Liu Kaitai
Department of Radiation Oncology, The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.
Front Oncol. 2025 Jul 31;15:1596541. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2025.1596541. eCollection 2025.
RNA methylation is a type of reversible chemical modification in epitranscriptomics that influences gene expression by dynamically regulating RNA functions. RNA methylation comprises N6-methyladenosine (m6A), 5-methylcytosine (m5C), N7-methylguanosine (m7G), N1-methyladenosine (m1A), and 3-methylcytosine (m3C) modifications. These are dynamically controlled by a tripartite enzymatic system: methyltransferases ("writers") add methyl groups, demethylases ("erasers") remove them, and RNA-binding proteins ("readers") recognize and interpret the modifications to mediate downstream biological effects. Extensive research has shown the importance of RNA methylation in the onset and progression of cancer. RNA methylation contributes to radioresistance in cancer cells through various mechanisms, affecting therapeutic outcomes. To date, the precise functions of RNA methylation in cancer radioresistance remain unclear. This review summarizes recent advances in m6A, m5C, m7G, and m1A methylation in cancer radioresistance regulation and discusses the clinical potential of precision therapeutic strategies targeting these methylation modifications.
RNA甲基化是表观转录组学中的一种可逆化学修饰，通过动态调节RNA功能来影响基因表达。RNA甲基化包括N6-甲基腺苷（m6A）、5-甲基胞嘧啶（m5C）、N7-甲基鸟苷（m7G）、N1-甲基腺苷（m1A）和3-甲基胞嘧啶（m3C）修饰。这些修饰由一个三方酶系统动态控制：甲基转移酶（“书写者”）添加甲基基团，去甲基酶（“擦除者”）去除甲基基团，RNA结合蛋白（“阅读者”）识别并解读这些修饰以介导下游生物学效应。广泛的研究表明RNA甲基化在癌症的发生和发展中具有重要作用。RNA甲基化通过多种机制导致癌细胞的放射抗性，影响治疗效果。迄今为止，RNA甲基化在癌症放射抗性中的精确功能仍不清楚。本综述总结了m6A、m5C、m7G和m1A甲基化在癌症放射抗性调节方面的最新进展，并讨论了针对这些甲基化修饰的精准治疗策略的临床潜力。
