miR-18b

miR-18b is a microRNA that functions as a tumor suppressor, particularly in melanoma. It is often downregulated in melanoma tissues and cell lines due to promoter hypermethylation. miR-18b exerts its anti-tumor effects by directly targeting the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of the MDM2 oncogene, which leads to the degradation of MDM2 mRNA and reduced protein levels. Since MDM2 is a primary negative regulator of p53, the suppression of MDM2 by miR-18b results in the stabilization and activation of the p53 pathway, inducing the expression of p21 and PUMA while inhibiting anti-apoptotic factors like BCL2 and BCL-XL. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that miR-18b overexpression inhibits cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, induces apoptosis, and reverses the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in melanoma models.

Other names

hsa-mir-18bhsa-mir18bhsa-mir 18b