Cancer-associated transcriptional regulator (C-CAT)

Cancer-associated transcriptional regulator (C-CAT) is a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) that plays a significant role in the progression of various malignancies, particularly colorectal and liver cancers. It functions as a molecular scaffold or decoy that interacts with specific transcription factors and chromatin-remodeling proteins to drive the expression of oncogenes. By modulating these transcriptional networks, C-CAT promotes key hallmarks of cancer, including increased cell proliferation, resistance to apoptosis, and metabolic shifts that favor tumor growth. In clinical contexts, elevated levels of C-CAT are often associated with poor prognosis and advanced disease stages, making it a potential biomarker for diagnosis and risk stratification. While direct pharmacological inhibitors are currently in early research phases, C-CAT represents a promising therapeutic target for RNA-based interventions, such as antisense oligonucleotides or siRNA, aimed at disrupting the oncogenic signaling pathways it regulates.

Other names

C-CATCancer-associated transcription regulatorLINC00242

Modulation of oncogenic transcription factors and recruitment of chromatin-modifying complexes to promote the expression of genes involved in tumor growth and survival.