m6A methylation: a new frontier in epilepsy research and therapeutics

Authors

  • Mudasir Maqbool Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College, Baramulla, Jammu and Kashmir 193103, India. Email: bhatmudasir92@gmail.com https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9036-008X
  • Yumna Khan Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (Health Division), The University of Agriculture, Peshawar 25000, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. https://orcid.org/0009-0008-5951-3691
  • Mohammed M. Arab Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, 71421 Sau-di Arabia. https://orcid.org/0009-0002-5004-5381
  • Saud O. Alshammari Department of Pharmacognosy and Alternative Medicine, College of Pharmacy, Northern Border University, Rafha, Saudi Arabia. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6251-3149
  • Md Sadique Hussain Uttaranchal Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Uttaranchal University, Prem Nagar, Dehradun 248007, Uttarakhand, India. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3554-1750
  • Fawaz M. Almufarriji Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Al- Quwayiyah, Shaqra University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. https://orcid.org/0009-0005-4832-4973

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2025-8359

Keywords:

Epilepsy, m6A modification, m6A regulators, neurodegeneration, precision medicine, molecular biomarkers

Abstract

Epilepsy is a highly complex and global neurological disorder, for which available treatments only inadequately control the disease in many patients. Recent advances in molecular research have identified N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modifications as key regulators of neuronal processes that underpin the pathophysiology of epilepsy. This review critically discusses the emerging significance of m6A modifications in epilepsy, focusing on dynamic regulations of m6A "writers," "erasers," and "readers" for modulating gene expression, neuronal excitability, and synaptic plasticity in epilepsy. Dysregulation of m6A machinery promotes epilepsy by exacerbating oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and neuronal damage. We also discuss the prognostic significance of m6A alterations as a potential biomarker in epilepsy diagnosis and disease progression, along with advanced therapeutic strategies against m6A, including small molecules, RNA editing technologies, and precision medicine. This review highlights the transformational significance of m6A modulation in epilepsy therapy and opens new avenues for personalized therapeutic strategies that may revolutionize the field of drug-resistant epilepsy and improve the prognosis for patients.

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Published

2025-05-30

How to Cite

Maqbool, M., Khan, Y., Arab, M. M., Alshammari, S. O., Hussain, M. S., & Almufarriji, F. M. (2025). m6A methylation: a new frontier in epilepsy research and therapeutics. EXCLI Journal, 24, 578–611. https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2025-8359

Issue

Vol. 24 (2025)

Section

Review articles

Categories

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Copyright (c) 2025 Mudasir Maqbool, Yumna Khan, Mohammed M. Arab, Saud O. Alshammari, Md Sadique Hussain, Fawaz M. Almufarriji

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