N6-methyladenosine regulators in inflammatory bowel disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a class of recurrent chronic intestinal inflammatory diseases, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. With the development of industrialization, the incidence of IBD is on the rise and the affected population tends to be younger. The pathogenesis of IBD is associated with genetics, gut microbiota composition, immunity and environmental factors. As the most abundant mRNA methylation modification in eukaryotic cells, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) has been identified as abnormally expressed in IBD patients. M6A is regulated by methyltransferase complexes (Writers), demethylase (Erasers) and m6A-binding proteins (Readers). To date, it has been found that m6A regulatory proteins are involved in the progression of IBD by regulating the expression of m6A-modified mRNA and influencing the balance of immune cell populations. However, the underlying mechanisms remain heterogeneous and warrant further investigation. This review aims to elucidate the abnormal expression of m6A modification and m6A regulatory proteins in IBD, summarize their underlying mechanisms, in order to further reveal the pathogenesis of IBD and provide alternative treatment strategies.