ELMO1 antisense RNA 1 (ELMO1-AS1)

ELMO1 antisense RNA 1 is a long non-coding RNA located on chromosome 7p14.2, transcribed antisense to the ELMO1 gene. It is upregulated in classically activated (M1) macrophages and downregulated in alternatively activated (M2) macrophages. In hepatocellular carcinoma, ELMO1-AS1 is significantly downregulated in tumor compared to adjacent tissue; overexpression suppresses tumor cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. It likely regulates cancer cell biology via sponging miRNAs and modulating the expression of its neighboring coding gene ELMO1, which itself is involved in apoptosis and cell migration. ELMO1-AS1 may serve as a prognostic biomarker and a potential therapeutic target in HCC and possibly other cancers. ELMO1-AS1 is a specific, functionally characterized lncRNA, not a receptor or enzyme, but falls under the expanding category of therapeutic RNA targets. Its primary research focus has been cancer, with mechanistic involvement in ceRNA networks and epigenetic regulation, typical of antisense lncRNAs. No known drugs currently target ELMO1-AS1, but the molecule's impact on prognosis and cancer cell behavior makes it a candidate for future RNA-based therapies.

Other names

ELMO1 antisense RNA 1 (non-protein coding)ELMO1-AS1macrophage-associated lncRNA ELMO1-AS1

Putative mechanisms include regulation of miRNA activity and downstream gene expression, modulation of the neighboring protein-coding gene (ELMO1), and interactions with chromatin-modifying enzymes and transcriptional machinery (by analogy to other antisense lncRNAs).