RNA modification by M6A methylation in cardiovascular diseases: Current trends and future directions

N6-methyladenosine (M6A) is the most common modification in eukaryotic RNAs for the regulation of RNA transcription, processing, splicing, degradation, and translation. RNA modification by M6A is dynamically reversible, involving methylated transferase, demethylase, and methylated reading protein. M6A-mediated gene regulation involves cell differentiation, metastasis, apoptosis, and proliferation. Dysregulation of M6A can lead to various diseases. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) seriously endangers human health and brings great social burden. Seeking effective prevention and treatment strategies for CVD is a challenge to both fundamentalists and clinicians. Substantial evidence has suggested the key role of M6A modification in the development of CVDs. This review summarizes the mechanism of M6A RNA modification and the latest research progress in respect with its role in CVDs, including atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction and cardiac remodeling, myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury, heart failure, hypertension, and aortic aneurysm, and the potential applications of the findings to CVDs, thereby providing new ideas and approaches for the diagnosis and therapy of CVDs.