m 6 A methylation: a potential key player in understanding and treating COVID-2019 infection

Since its discovery in 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-2019) spans a wide clinical spectrum from the asymptomatic stage, mild infection, to severe pneumonia. In patients with COVID-2019, factors such as advanced age, diabetes, or hypertension are associated with a significantly increased risk of severe diseases and death. Of note, the mechanisms underlying differences in the risk and symptoms of COVID-2019 among different populations are still poorly characterized. Accordingly, it is imperative to elucidate potential pathophysiological mechanisms and develop targeted therapeutic approaches for COVID-2019 infection. N6-methyladenosine (m 6 A) is one of the most common modifications in mammalian RNA transcripts and is widely found in messenger RNAs and some non-coding RNAs. It has been reported that m 6 A methylation modifications are present in viral RNA transcripts, which are of great significance for the regulation of the viral life cycle. Furthermore, m 6 A methylation has recently been found to be strongly associated with COVID-2019 infection. Therefore, this article reviews recent advances in studies related to the role of m 6 A methylation in COVID-2019 infection.