Characterization of LncRNAs modified by m6A RNA methylation in glioblastoma

Abstract

Interest in long-non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) is constantly increasing. lncRNA plays an important role in gene regulation, interaction with proteins and other RNA species. Recently developed methods for RNA chemical modification identification, promoted interest in human epi-transcriptome. N6- methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prominent and widely studied RNA modification, which affects RNA stability, location, and translation. However, information on m6A effect to lncRNAs and other non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) is lacking. Here we compare wide transcriptomic m6A modifications of lncRNAs in U87 cells, glioblastoma and healthy brain tissue samples applying direct RNA sequencing method from Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT dRNA-seq). The analysis of ONT dRNA-seq identified lncRNA targets that are differentially modified between glioblastoma cells and healthy human brain specimen. Previously reported glioma associated lncRNAs like NEAT1, MALAT, THAP9-AS1 etc. in present study were found to be highly m6A modified in glioblastoma cells but lower modified RRACH counts were found in healthy brain sample.