PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification’s regulatory role in acute and chronic leukemia

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification’s regulatory role in acute and chronic leukemia
2024-08-21
(Press-News.org)

Epigenetics, the modification of chromosomes without altering DNA sequences, serves as a crucial regulatory mechanism for gene expression. Among the various epigenetic marks, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modifications on RNA have gained significant attention in recent years for their role in various biological processes, including cancer development and progression. This article reviews the latest advances in understanding the role of m6A modifications in leukemia, a heterogeneous group of hematological malignancies.

Role of m6A Modification in Leukemia

m6A Writers and Erasers

m6A modifications are mediated by "writers" (e.g., METTL3, METTL14, and WTAP) that catalyze the methylation of adenosine residues in RNA, and "erasers" (e.g., ALKBH5 and FTO) that remove these methyl groups. These enzymes play crucial roles in regulating the balance of m6A levels in leukemia cells.

Recent studies have demonstrated that dysregulation of m6A writers and erasers can significantly impact leukemia development and progression. For instance, knockdown of METTL3 in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) leads to reduced cell growth and increased myeloid differentiation, whereas METTL14 depletion impairs self-renewal capacity of HSPCs and promotes myeloid differentiation.

Functional Implications

m6A modifications affect various aspects of RNA metabolism, including splicing, stability, translation, and subcellular localization. In leukemia, these modifications have been shown to regulate cell differentiation, proliferation, and self-renewal capacity. For example, m6A-modified mRNAs involved in hematopoiesis are differentially expressed in leukemic cells, leading to disrupted hematopoiesis and enhanced leukemogenesis.

Specific Leukemia Types

Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML): m6A modifications have been implicated in the pathogenesis of AML. Studies have shown that upregulation of m6A writers and demethylases correlates with disease progression and chemoresistance. Conversely, inhibition of these enzymes has shown therapeutic potential in preclinical models. Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL): ALL, the most prevalent cancer in children under 15 years, also exhibits dysregulation of m6A modifications. Elevated levels of m6A writers and demethylases have been observed in pediatric ALL patients, particularly those with specific immune cell phenotypes. Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML): CML is characterized by a translocation event that generates the BCR-ABL1 fusion oncogene. m6A modifications have been shown to regulate BCR-ABL1 expression and downstream signaling pathways, affecting CML progression and drug resistance. Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL): CLL is a malignancy of mature B cells characterized by clonal expansion of leukemic cells. Although less studied than AML and ALL, recent evidence suggests that m6A modifications also play a role in CLL development and progression.

Therapeutic Implications

Given the important role of m6A modifications in leukemia, targeting these modifications represents a promising therapeutic strategy. Small-molecule inhibitors of m6A writers and demethylases have shown efficacy in preclinical models of leukemia, particularly in reducing proliferation and inducing apoptosis of leukemic cells.

Furthermore, understanding the mechanisms underlying m6A-mediated regulation of leukemic cell survival, proliferation, and differentiation can guide the development of more targeted and effective therapies.

Conclusions

m6A RNA modifications are key players in leukemia regulation, affecting various aspects of leukemic cell biology. Recent advances in understanding the mechanisms underlying m6A-mediated regulation of gene expression and leukemia development have opened new avenues for targeted interventions. As we continue to unravel the complexities of m6A modifications in leukemia, we can expect the development of more effective and personalized therapies for this devastating group of hematological malignancies.

 

Full text

https://www.xiahepublishing.com/1555-3884/GE-2024-00030

 

The study was recently published in the Gene Expression.

Gene Expression (GE) is an open-access journal. It was launched in 1991 by Chicago Medical School Press, and transferred to Cognizant Communication Corporation in 1994. From August 2022, GE is published by Xia & He Publishing Inc.   

GE publishes peer-reviewed and high-quality original articles, reviews, editorials, commentaries, and opinions on its primary research topics including cell biology, molecular biology, genes, and genetics, especially on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of human diseases. 

GE has been indexed in Medline (1991-2021), Scopus, Biological Abstracts, Biosis Previews, ProQuest, etc.

 

Follow us on X: @xiahepublishing

Follow us on LinkedIn: Xia & He Publishing Inc.

END


[Attachments] See images for this press release:
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification’s regulatory role in acute and chronic leukemia

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Revolutionary rehab robotics: A new leap in adaptive gait training

Revolutionary rehab robotics: A new leap in adaptive gait training
2024-08-21
In an era where technology increasingly merges with healthcare to enhance patient outcomes, a groundbreaking study conducted by Fuyang Yu and his colleagues introduces an innovative approach to lower limb rehabilitation. Their research, published in Cyborg Bionic Systems, outlines the development of a lower limb rehabilitation robot designed to significantly improve the safety and effectiveness of gait training through a novel method based on human-robot interaction force measurement. Rehabilitation robots are ...

Targeted cancer cell therapy may slow endometrial cancer

2024-08-21
There may be a way to slow the growth of endometrial cancer through targeted cancer cell therapy, according to new research from the University of Missouri School of Medicine. This year, around 65,000 women are expected to be diagnosed with endometrial cancer, the most common cancer of the female reproductive organs. An increased risk in development for multiple human cancers is associated with mutations in the PTEN protein, which normally regulates cell division and growth. The mutation allows cells to multiply uncontrollably.  Using mice models, Krystina Dunston, research lab manager and NextGen Precision Health researchers Tae Hoon Kim and Jae-Wook Jeong, studied the ...

Hepatic disease: a camu-camu fruit extract to reduce liver fat

2024-08-21
Québec City, August 21, 2024 – A research team from Université Laval has shown the benefits of camu-camu on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which affects over seven million people in Canada. This exotic fruit reduces liver fat levels.   Over 12 weeks, thirty participants took either camu-camu extract or a placebo at different times in this randomized clinical trial. Participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine fat levels in the liver. Scientists observed a 7.43% reduction in liver lipids when study participants took camu-camu extract. With the ...

Quenching the intense heat of a fusion plasma may require a well-placed liquid metal evaporator

Quenching the intense heat of a fusion plasma may require a well-placed liquid metal evaporator
2024-08-21
Inside the next generation of fusion vessels known as spherical tokamaks, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) envisioned a hot region with flowing liquid metal that is reminiscent of a subterranean cave. Researchers say evaporating liquid metal could protect the inside of the tokamak from the intense heat of the plasma. It’s an idea that dates back several decades and is tied to one of the Lab’s strengths: working with liquid metals. “PPPL’s expertise in using liquid metals, ...

The power of face time: Insights from zebra finch courtship

The power of face time: Insights from zebra finch courtship
2024-08-21
A new study on songbirds sheds light on the power of social interaction to facilitate learning, insights that potentially apply to human development. McGill University researchers discovered that zebra finches deprived of early social experiences could still form strong bonds with a partner later in life. Once placed into cohabitation with a male, females that had never heard a mating song before could quickly develop a preference for his melody. The findings, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society ...

Near-term NASA Mars and lunar in situ propellant production: complexity versus simplicity

Near-term NASA Mars and lunar in situ propellant production: complexity versus simplicity
2024-08-21
First, lunar ISPP is analyzed from aspects of lunar resources, near-term lunar processes, carbothermal process, polar ice, and reduction of iron oxides. There are basically 4 potential lunar resources: (1) Silicates in regolith containing typically >40% oxygen. (2) Regolith containing FeO for hydrogen reduction. FeO content may vary from 5% to 14%, leading to recoverable oxygen content in the 1 to 3% range. (3) Imbedded atoms in regolith from solar wind (typically parts per million). (4) Water ice in regolith pores in permanently shadowed craters near the poles (unknown percentage but ...

An active multi-beam antenna design method and its application for the future 6G satellite network

An active multi-beam antenna design method and its application for the future 6G satellite network
2024-08-21
First, the payload requirements and problems faced by traditional multi-beam antenna are described. The user beam of the VHTS payload system mainly uses Ka-band multi-beam antenna for a large range of area coverage, and the number of beams in the coverage area is not less than 500, usually using 7-color frequency reuse scheme(Fig. 2). At present, the spaceborne multi-beam antenna technology applied to high-throughput communication satellites is usually divided into  multi-aperture multi-beam antenna and passive multi-feed ...

EMBARGOED NEJM Catalyst TOC, August 21, 2024

2024-08-21
Contact NEJM Group Media Relations (mediarelations@nejm.org) if you’d like to receive full-text articles and author contact information for the articles listed below. Embargoed Until 9 AM ET on Wednesday, August 21 The African American Transplant Access Program: Mitigating Disparities in Solid Organ Transplantation D. Simpson The Journey to an Incentive-Based Health Equity Quality Index (Embargo lifted August 14) E. Cheng A Physician-Created Platform to Speed Clinical Decision-Making and Referral Workflow E. Cunningham How a Robust Community ...

Endocrine Society honors endocrinology field’s leaders with 2025 Laureate Awards

2024-08-21
WASHINGTON—The Endocrine Society today announced it has chosen 14 leading endocrinologists as winners of its prestigious 2025 Laureate Awards, the top honors in the field. Endocrinologists are scientists and medical doctors who specialize in unraveling the mysteries of hormone disorders to care for patients and cure diseases. These professionals have achieved breakthroughs in scientific discoveries and clinical care benefiting people with hundreds of conditions, including diabetes, thyroid disorders, ...

FAU engineering to lead $1.3 million collaborative conservation project

FAU engineering to lead $1.3 million collaborative conservation project
2024-08-21
The United States National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation have announced a $1.3 million collaborative grant to the College of Engineering and Computer Science at Florida Atlantic University, Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, and Old Dominion University, for a project designed to cost-effectively identify and track wildlife using artificial intelligence. Xingquan “Hill” Zhu, Ph.D., principal investigator and a professor in the FAU Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, is spearheading the project in collaboration with FAU’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute and Charles ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Reality check: making indoor smartphone-based augmented reality work

Overthinking what you said? It’s your ‘lizard brain’ talking to newer, advanced parts of your brain

Black men — including transit workers — are targets for aggression on public transportation, study shows

Troubling spike in severe pregnancy-related complications for all ages in Illinois

Alcohol use identified by UTHealth Houston researchers as most common predictor of escalated cannabis vaping among youths in Texas

Need a landing pad for helicopter parenting? Frame tasks as learning

New MUSC Hollings Cancer Center research shows how Golgi stress affects T-cells' tumor-fighting ability

#16to365: New resources for year-round activism to end gender-based violence and strengthen bodily autonomy for all

Earliest fish-trapping facility in Central America discovered in Maya lowlands

São Paulo to host School on Disordered Systems

New insights into sleep uncover key mechanisms related to cognitive function

USC announces strategic collaboration with Autobahn Labs to accelerate drug discovery

Detroit health professionals urge the community to act and address the dangers of antimicrobial resistance

3D-printing advance mitigates three defects simultaneously for failure-free metal parts 

Ancient hot water on Mars points to habitable past: Curtin study

In Patagonia, more snow could protect glaciers from melt — but only if we curb greenhouse gas emissions soon

Simplicity is key to understanding and achieving goals

Caste differentiation in ants

Nutrition that aligns with guidelines during pregnancy may be associated with better infant growth outcomes, NIH study finds

New technology points to unexpected uses for snoRNA

Racial and ethnic variation in survival in early-onset colorectal cancer

Disparities by race and urbanicity in online health care facility reviews

Exploring factors affecting workers' acquisition of exercise habits using machine learning approaches

Nano-patterned copper oxide sensor for ultra-low hydrogen detection

Maintaining bridge safer; Digital sensing-based monitoring system

A novel approach for the composition design of high-entropy fluorite oxides with low thermal conductivity

A groundbreaking new approach to treating chronic abdominal pain

ECOG-ACRIN appoints seven researchers to scientific committee leadership positions

New model of neuronal circuit provides insight on eye movement

Cooking up a breakthrough: Penn engineers refine lipid nanoparticles for better mRNA therapies

[Press-News.org] N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification’s regulatory role in acute and chronic leukemia