Zheng L, Duan SL. N6-methyladenosine RNA methylation in relation to the inflammatory response, immunity and the intestinal microbiota in inflammatory bowel disease. World J Gastroenterol 2026; 32(36): 120873 [DOI: 10.3748/wjg.120873]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Sheng-Lei Duan, MD, Doctor, Department of Gastroenterology, Shaanxi Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 4 Xihuamen, Xi’an 710003, Shaanxi Province, China. 281930369@qq.com
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Gastroenterology & Hepatology
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review-article
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Zheng L, Duan SL. N6-methyladenosine RNA methylation in relation to the inflammatory response, immunity and the intestinal microbiota in inflammatory bowel disease. World J Gastroenterol 2026; 32(36): 120873 [DOI: 10.3748/wjg.120873]
World J Gastroenterol. Sep 28, 2026; 32(36): 120873 Published online Sep 28, 2026. doi: 10.3748/wjg.120873
N6-methyladenosine RNA methylation in relation to the inflammatory response, immunity and the intestinal microbiota in inflammatory bowel disease
Lie Zheng, Sheng-Lei Duan
Lie Zheng, Sheng-Lei Duan, Department of Gastroenterology, Shaanxi Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xi’an 710003, Shaanxi Province, China
Author contributions: Zheng L and Duan SL contributed to the study conception and design and wrote the manuscript, literature search, drafted the manuscript, and provided approval of the final version to be published.
Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 82574996; Shaanxi Province Traditional Chinese Medicine Research and Innovation Talent Plan Project, No. TZKN-CXRC-16; Project of Shaanxi Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. SZY-KJCYC-2025-JC-010; Shaanxi Province Key Research and Development Plan Project-Social Development Field, No. 2025SF-YBXM-498; the “Nursery Cultivation Plan” Project of Shaanxi Provincial Academy of Chinese Medicine and Shaanxi Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine for the Year 2025, No. 2025-04; and the Fifth Batch of Outstanding Clinical Talents in Traditional Chinese Medicine Project of Shaanxi Province, Shaanxi Traditional Chinese Medicine Letter[2025], No. 6.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Corresponding author: Sheng-Lei Duan, MD, Doctor, Department of Gastroenterology, Shaanxi Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 4 Xihuamen, Xi’an 710003, Shaanxi Province, China. 281930369@qq.com
Received: March 11, 2026 Revised: April 11, 2026 Accepted: May 7, 2026 Published online: September 28, 2026 Processing time: 164 Days and 10.4 Hours
Abstract
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the intestine. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation, which is the most abundant messenger RNA modification in mammalian cells, plays an important role in IBD by influencing various processes, such as RNA stability, splicing, translation, and degradation, and participating in the pathogenesis of IBD. The key enzymes involved in m6A methylation (such as methyltransferase-like 3, methyltransferase-like 4 and fat mass and obesity-associated protein) not only regulate changes in inflammation and immunity in IBD but also bidirectionally regulate the intestinal microenvironment. However, the specific mechanism of m6A methylation modification in IBD needs further exploration. Future research should focus on clarifying the molecular network related to m6A methylation and IBD to provide new intervention methods for clinical practice and improve the outcomes of IBD patients. This article reviews the research progress on m6A RNA methylation in IBD, aiming to improve the understanding of IBD pathogenesis at the epigenetic level and provide new directions for exploring treatments targeting m6A-modified related proteins for IBD.
Core Tip: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the intestine. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation, which is the most abundant messenger RNA modification in mammalian cells, plays an important role in IBD by influencing various processes, such as RNA stability, splicing, translation, and degradation, and participating in the pathogenesis of IBD. The key enzymes involved in m6A methylation (such as methyltransferase-like 3, methyltransferase-like 4 and fat mass and obesity-associated protein) not only regulate changes in inflammation and immunity in IBD but also bidirectionally regulate the intestinal microenvironment. However, the specific mechanism of m6A methylation modification in IBD needs further exploration. Future research should focus on clarifying the molecular network related to m6A methylation and IBD to provide new intervention methods for clinical practice and improve the outcomes of IBD patients. This article reviews the research progress on m6A RNA methylation in IBD, aiming to improve the understanding of IBD pathogenesis at the epigenetic level and provide new directions for exploring treatments targeting m6A-modified related proteins for IBD.
