Endogenous microRNA-720-complementary messenger RNAs (miR-720 targets)

Endogenous microRNA-720-complementary messenger RNAs (mRNAs) are a group of transcripts regulated by miR-720, a small non-coding RNA. While originally classified as a microRNA, miR-720 is now recognized as a tRNA-derived small RNA (tsRNA) originating from the 5' end of tRNA-Thr (Schopman et al., 2010). These mRNAs are regulated through sequence-specific binding, typically in their 3' untranslated regions (UTRs), which results in post-transcriptional gene silencing via the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) (Ji et al., 2012). Significant targets include mRNAs for CD44, ZEB2, and HERPUD1, which play vital roles in cell surface signaling, the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and cellular stress responses (Li et al., 2014). The interaction between miR-720 and these mRNAs is frequently dysregulated in diseases such as breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, and myelodysplastic syndromes, where it impacts cell proliferation and metastasis (Sun et al., 2017). Therapeutic approaches focus on modulating these target levels using synthetic miR-720 mimics or antagomirs to restore normal cellular function.

Other names

miR-720 targetsMicroRNA-720 targetstRNA-Thr fragment targetstRNA-derived small RNA 720 targets

miR-720 or its tRNA-derived fragment equivalent binds to complementary sequences in the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of target mRNAs, facilitating their degradation or inhibiting their translation through the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC).