Aberrant Regulation of mRNA m6A Modification in Cancer Development

N-6-methyladenosine (m(6)A) is the most prevalent internal modification of eukaryotic messenger RNAs (mRNAs). The m(6)A modification in RNA can be catalyzed by methyltransferases, or removed by demethylases, which are termed m(6)A writers and erasers, respectively. Selective recognition and binding by distinct m(6)A reader proteins lead mRNA to divergent destinies. m(6)A has been reported to influence almost every stage of mRNA metabolism and to regulate multiple biological processes. Accumulating evidence strongly supports the correlation between aberrant cellular m(6)A level and cancer. We summarize here that deregulation of m(6)A modification, resulting from aberrant expression or function of m(6)A writers, erasers, readers or some other protein factors, is associated with carcinogenesis and cancer progression. Understanding the regulation and functional mechanism of mRNA m(6)A modification in cancer development may help in developing novel and efficient strategies for the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of human cancers.