Circular RNA 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase 1 (circHMGCS1)

Circular RNA 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase 1 (circHMGCS1) is a stable, non-coding RNA molecule formed by the back-splicing of exons from the HMGCS1 gene. It primarily functions as a molecular sponge for microRNAs, such as miR-503-5p and miR-4521, which allows it to indirectly regulate the expression of downstream genes involved in cell growth, survival, and metabolic flux. In various malignancies, including hepatoblastoma and non-small cell lung cancer, circHMGCS1 is significantly upregulated and acts as an oncogene by promoting tumor cell proliferation and inhibiting apoptosis through pathways like IGF-PI3K-Akt. Additionally, it plays a role in metabolic diseases, where its dysregulation contributes to vascular endothelial dysfunction in type 2 diabetes by modulating the arginase 1 pathway. Although no clinical drugs currently target circHMGCS1, it is being actively investigated as a therapeutic target for RNA-interference strategies and as a highly stable biomarker for cancer diagnosis and prognosis.

Other names

hsa_circ_0072391hsa_circ_0072387circ-HMGCS1Circular RNA HMGCS1

Acts as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) or miRNA sponge to sequester microRNAs (e.g., miR-503-5p, miR-4521), thereby preventing the degradation of target mRNAs and promoting oncogenic or metabolic signaling pathways.