Epitranscriptomic regulation of mRNAs and noncoding RNAs by m6A in hepatocellular carcinoma

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is a major epitranscriptomic modification of RNA that plays a crucial role in regulating RNA metabolism and function, thereby participating in diverse biological processes such as cellular homeostasis and stress responses. The dynamic regulation of m6A is orchestrated by three classes of proteins: methyltransferases that install the modification, demethylases that remove it, and m6A-binding proteins that recognize modified transcripts and mediate downstream effects. Accumulating evidence has shown that dysregulation of m6A is critically involved in the initiation and progression of various malignancies. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a primary liver malignancy with high mortality and poor prognosis, has also been closely linked to m6A-mediated RNA regulation. In this review, we summarize the molecular mechanisms by which m6A regulates both coding and noncoding RNAs in HCC, highlight the functional roles of key m6A regulators in hepatocarcinogenesis, and discuss the therapeutic potential of targeting the m6A machinery in HCC.