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Implications of m6A modification in autoimmune disorders

Cellular & Molecular Immunology volume 17, pages 550–551 (2020)Cite this article

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N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) is the most common and abundant modification of RNA molecules, including mRNAs, microRNAs (miRNAs), and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs).1 The m6A modification is catalyzed and dynamically regulated by recently discovered enzymes termed ‘writers” (methyltransferases including METTL3, METTL14, and WTAP), ‘erasers” (demethylases including FTO and ALKBH5) and ‘readers” (m6A-binding proteins including YTHDC1, YTHDC2, YTHDF1, YTHDF2, and YTHDF3). These modifications were recently shown to be involved in the regulation of different biological processes, including the inflammatory and antitumor immune responses, antiviral immunity and T-cell homeostasis.2 More recent studies have shown that aberrant m6A modifications are associated with various pathophysiologies, including autoimmune diseases.

Autoimmune diseases (ADs) stem from the loss of immune tolerance to self-antigens and the involvement of specific organs, like type I diabetes mellitus, or multiple organs, like systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS). ADs affect ~8% of individuals worldwide, making them a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, as observed by a steep rise in their annual incidence rate. Although the etiology of ADs is typically multifactorial, genetics and environmental factors play a critical role in the pathogenesis of ADs.3

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. BRULAC-DRC, Saveetha Dental College & Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences [SIMATS], Saveetha University, Chennai, India

    Arumugam Paramasivam & Jayaseelan Vijayashree Priyadharsini

  2. Centre for Biotechnology, Anna University, Chennai, India

    Subramanian Raghunandhakumar

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  1. Arumugam Paramasivam
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  2. Jayaseelan Vijayashree Priyadharsini
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  3. Subramanian Raghunandhakumar
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Correspondence to Arumugam Paramasivam.

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Paramasivam, A., Priyadharsini, J.V. & Raghunandhakumar, S. Implications of m6A modification in autoimmune disorders. Cell Mol Immunol 17, 550–551 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41423-019-0307-0

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