A sensitive and rapid electrochemiluminescence (ECL) method for the detection of N-6-Methyladenosine (m6A) in urine samples on a heated indium-tin-oxide (ITO) electrode is presented. The ECL intensity of Tris(2,2'-bipyridyl) dichlororuthenium(II)hexahydrate (Ru(bpy)(3)(2+)) can be enhanced by the presence of m6A. Experimental results showed that the change of ECL intensities (Delta I) of the Ru(bpy)(3)(2+) between before and after addition of m6A was affected by the working electrode surface temperature (T-e): the highest Delta I occurred at 31 degrees C. Under optimum conditions, the Delta I had a linear relationship with the m6A concentration in the range of 1.9 x 10(-9)-3.9 x 10(-6) mol/L and a detection limit of 7.7 x 10(-10) mol/L (S/N = 3) at T-e = 31 degrees C. The recovery of m6A standards added to urine samples verified the accuracy of the proposed method. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.