Targeting RNA Modifications as an Anti-cancer Approach

Frontiers in Pharmacology is pleased to launch this Research Topic, organized under the auspices of the Hellenic Society of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. RNA epigenetics also called Epitranscriptomics is an evolving field of research that explores chemical modifications on RNA and their impact on the cell and disease. RNA modifications are epigenetic changes that alter the structure and function of RNA molecules by inserting, deleting, or substituting nucleotides at specific locations. N6-methyladenosine (m6A), pseudouridine (Ψ), 7-methylguanosine (m7G), inosine (I), 5-methylcytosine (m5C), N1-methyladenosine (m1A), and N4-acetylcytidine (ac4C), adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) editing are the most common RNA modifications. RNA modifications were firstly identified a few decades ago in transfer RNA and ribosomal RNA. During the recent years, RNA modifications have been described in mRNA and non-coding RNAs including lncRNAs. Similar to DNA methylation and histone modification, RNA modifications represent another layer of gene expression regulation. Increasing evidence suggests that abnormal RNA modifications promote carcinogenesis through modulation of cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, invasion, metastasis. Dysregulated RNA modification pathways have been identified in human cancers. Targeting these pathways could be a novel promising anticancer approach.

This Research Topic welcomes original research, reviews, and perspectives that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:

- Pharmacological targeting of dysregulated RNA modification enzymes (writers, erasers, readers) as a novel anticancer strategy
- Drug discovery and development of small-molecule inhibitors or activators of RNA modification machinery (e.g., ADAR, METTL3/14, FTO, ALKBH5)
- Drug resistance mechanisms driven by aberrant RNA modifications (m⁶A, m⁵C, A-to-I editing, Ψ, ac⁴C) and strategies to overcome them
- Preclinical and translational studies evaluating RNA modification–targeted compounds in cancer models, including pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and efficacy data

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• ... View all formats

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Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: RNA epigenetics, Epitranscriptomics, RNA modifications, m6A RNA methylation, RNA-modifying enzymes (writers, readers, erasers), Pharmacology of RNA-targeted anticancer drugs, Therapeutic targeting of RNA modifications

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.