Analysis of m6A regulator-mediated RNA methylation modification patterns and immune infiltration characterization in schizophrenia

Abstract Background: Epigenetic modification has provided novel insight for understanding the complex mechanism of psychiatric disorders. However, how m 6 A RNA methylation modification played a role in schizophrenia (SCZ) remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of m 6 A modification and their relationship with the immune infiltration characteristics of SCZ. Methods: We searched the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Finally, 391 postmortem brains of SCZ were used to assess the differential expression level of m 6 A methylation regulators between SCZ and controls. The relative expression abundance of immune cells and immune functions was examined by Single-Sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA). Results: We found significant differences in the expression levels of m 6 A regulators between SCZ and controls. Logistic-LASSO regression analysis identified the 6 key m 6 A regulators, and the risk scores could well distinguish SCZ and controls. There were significant differences in immune cells and immune functions. We identified 4 potential m 6 A methylation modification key genes of SCZ. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that m 6 A regulators and immune infiltration characteristics might play an important role in the pathogenesis of SCZ. However, we need more clinical evidence to validate these found.