HOXD cluster antisense RNA 2 (HOXD-AS2)

HOXD cluster antisense RNA 2 (HOXD-AS2) is a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) located in the HOXD gene cluster, transcribed antisense to the homeobox D (HOXD) genes. As a member of the HOX cluster-embedded antisense RNAs, HOXD-AS2 is implicated in the regulation of gene expression relevant to development and disease. Emerging evidence demonstrates that HOXD-AS2 exerts key regulatory roles in carcinogenesis, particularly by promoting cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and inhibiting apoptosis in cancers such as non-small cell lung cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, and glioma[2][4][6]. Its elevated expression is associated with tumor aggressiveness and poor clinical outcomes. HOXD-AS2 may regulate specific signaling pathways (e.g., MEK/ERK), form regulatory loops with other oncogenes (e.g., SMYD3), and modulate gene expression through competing endogenous RNA mechanisms (e.g., miR-3681-5p axis). HOXD-AS2 is increasingly recognized as a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker, as well as a molecular therapeutic target, though no drugs specifically targeting HOXD-AS2 are currently described in clinical use.

Other names

HOXD-AS2HOXD-AS2 lncRNAHOXD antisense RNA 2lncRNA HOXD-AS2