HOXA11 antisense RNA (HOXA11-AS)

HOXA11 antisense RNA (HOXA11-AS) is a highly conserved long non-coding RNA located in the HOXA gene cluster, acting as a regulatory molecule with key roles in transcriptional and epigenetic control. It functions primarily as a scaffold for chromatin-modifying proteins and a sponge for specific microRNAs, modulating the expression of nearby and distant genes. HOXA11-AS is implicated in both normal development (such as uterine environment and fertility) and diverse cancers, promoting cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and impeding apoptosis via oncogenic and, in some contexts, tumor-suppressor mechanisms. Its aberrant expression correlates with poor prognosis and increased metastasis in several human malignancies, positioning it as both a biomarker and a candidate therapeutic target.

Other names

HOXA-AS5HOXA11SHOXA11-AS1HOXA11ASNCRNA00076

Drugs or experimental knockdowns act by suppressing HOXA11-AS expression, which leads to reduced cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and enhanced apoptosis. Acts by modulating miRNA availability, e.g., as a sponge for miR-506-3p, affecting downstream targets such as NEK6. Altering recruitment of chromatin modifiers to target gene promoters (e.g., repression of tumor suppressors or activation of oncogenes).