HOXC cluster antisense RNA 1 (non-protein coding) (HOXC-AS1)

HOXC cluster antisense RNA 1 (HOXC-AS1) is a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) situated in the HOXC gene cluster. It does not encode a protein, but instead regulates cellular functions and disease progression through gene expression modulation, mainly by acting as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA). It sponges microRNAs (miRNAs), such as miR-99a-3p, leading to upregulation of target genes like MMP8, as well as interacts with proteins including IGF2BP2 to stabilize mRNAs like SIRT1, promoting cell proliferation and tumor progression. HOXC-AS1 has been implicated in several cancers, including gastric cancer, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and glioma, where it is typically upregulated and correlated with poor prognosis. It may also play a role in atherosclerosis and cardiovascular biology due to its influence on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and inflammatory response. Currently, there are no approved drugs directly targeting HOXC-AS1, but its expression is under investigation as a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for cancer and other diseases

Other names

HOXC-AS1HOXC cluster antisense RNA 1lncRNA HOXC cluster antisense RNA 1HOXC cluster antisense RNA 1 (non-protein coding)

Regulation of gene expression through microRNA sponging (e.g., sponging miR-99a-3p, affecting MMP8 expression); Post-transcriptional modulation (stabilizing mRNAs by interacting with IGF2BP2, affects SIRT1 expression); Promotes cell proliferation and suppresses apoptosis in tumor cells by regulating gene expression