N6-Methyladenosine RNA Modification: A Potential Regulator of Stem Cell Proliferation and Differentiation.

Stem cell transplantation (SCT) holds great promise for overcoming diseases by regenerating damaged cells, tissues and organs. The potential for self-renewal and differentiation is the key to SCT. RNA methylation, a dynamic and reversible epigenetic modification, is able to regulate the ability of stem cells to differentiate and regenerate. N 6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the richest form of RNA methylation in eukaryotes and is regulated by three classes of proteins: methyltransferase complexes, demethylase complexes and m6A binding proteins. Through the coordination of these proteins, RNA methylation precisely modulates the expression of important target genes by affecting mRNA stability, translation, selective splicing, processing and microRNA maturation. In this review, we summarize the most recent findings on the regulation of m6A modification in embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells and adult stem cells, hoping to provide new insights into improving SCT technology.