Multi-region m6A Profiling Reveals Brain Disease Insights

Multi-region m6A epitranscriptome profiling of the human brain has revealed significant spatial and temporal variations as well as enrichment of disease-associated loci. This study utilized data from the PsychENCODE Consortium, a large-scale collaborative initiative aimed at understanding the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying psychiatric disorders by integrating multi-omics data.

The human brain tissue samples were sourced from the University of Maryland Brain and Tissue Bank, which is a contributor to the PsychENCODE Consortium. Access to individual-level genomic data is controlled and requires approval, with requests being made through the National Institute of Mental Health Data Archive, adhering to specific data use limitations.

The raw datasets, including RNA-seq, m6A-seq, and whole genome sequencing, are accessible via the National Institute of Mental Health Data Archive. In this study, three databases were utilized: m6A-Atlas version 2.0, DAVID version 6.8, and the GWAS Catalog database.

The findings highlight advancements in understanding the human brain's epitranscriptome, potentially leading to better insights into neurological diseases and their genetic underpinnings, which may pave the way for novel therapeutic approaches.

The report, published in Nature Neuroscience, emphasizes the importance of these findings in the context of ongoing research in brain diseases.