m6A RNA methylation: a dynamic regulator of cardiac muscle and extracellular matrix

Post-transcriptional modifications encompass a large group of RNA alterations that control gene expression. Methylation of the N⁶-adenosine (m⁶A) of mRNA is a prevalent modification that alters the life cycle of transcripts. The roles that m⁶A play in regulating cardiac homeostasis and injury response are an active area of investigation, but it is clear that this chemical modification is a critical controller of fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition, cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and division, and the structure and function of the extracellular matrix. Here, we discuss the latest findings of m⁶A in cardiac muscle and matrix.