Heat shock factor binding protein 1 pseudogene 1 (HSBP1P1)

Heat shock factor binding protein 1 pseudogene 1 (HSBP1P1) is a pseudogene, meaning it is a genomic DNA sequence similar to a normal gene but non-functional in terms of protein coding. Recent research suggests that some pseudogenes, including HSBP1P1, may have regulatory roles at the RNA level. Specifically, HSBP1P1 is overexpressed in renal cell carcinoma, where it is associated with tumor progression and poor prognosis. It functions as a competing endogenous RNA in the cytoplasm, acting as a miRNA sponge (notably for miR-296-5p), thereby influencing the expression of oncogenic regulators such as high-mobility group A1 (HMGA1)[2]. Currently, HSBP1P1 is not a canonical drug target, but its expression patterns and gene regulatory activity make it a candidate biomarker in cancer biology.

Other names

HSPB1-associated protein 1 pseudogene 1

Not applicable for therapeutics; as a miRNA sponge, it modulates the availability and function of specific miRNAs, which then regulate expression of protein-coding genes (e.g., miR-296-5p/HMGA1 axis in RCC)[2]