Emerging roles of the RNA modifications N6-methyladenosine and adenosine-to-inosine in cardiovascular diseases

Vilbert Sikorski; Antti Vento; Esko Kankuri; IHD-EPITRAN Consortium

doi:10.1016/j.omtn.2022.07.018

Emerging roles of the RNA modifications N6-methyladenosine and adenosine-to-inosine in cardiovascular diseases

Mol Ther Nucleic Acids. 2022 Jul 20:29:426-461. doi: 10.1016/j.omtn.2022.07.018. eCollection 2022 Sep 13.

Authors

Vilbert Sikorski¹, Antti Vento², Esko Kankuri¹; IHD-EPITRAN Consortium

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
² Heart and Lung Center, Helsinki University Hospital, 00029 Helsinki, Finland.

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases lead the mortality and morbidity disease metrics worldwide. A multitude of chemical base modifications in ribonucleic acids (RNAs) have been linked with key events of cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders. Named either RNA epigenetics or epitranscriptomics, the post-transcriptional RNA modifications, their regulatory pathways, components, and downstream effects substantially contribute to the ways our genetic code is interpreted. Here we review the accumulated discoveries to date regarding the roles of the two most common epitranscriptomic modifications, N⁶-methyl-adenosine (m⁶A) and adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) editing, in cardiovascular disease.

Keywords: A-to-I editing; N6-methyladenosine; atherosclerosis; cardiac regeneration; cardiovascular medicine; epitranscriptomics; ischemic heart disease.

Publication types

Review