Keratin 16 pseudogene 6 (KRT16P6)

Keratin 16 pseudogene 6 (KRT16P6, also referred to as lncKRT16P6) encodes a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) rather than a protein. Recent research identified lncKRT16P6 as a cancer-associated lncRNA that promotes the progression of tongue squamous cell carcinoma by acting as a sponge for microRNA miR‑3180 and regulating the expression of the chromatin modifier GATAD2A. It does not encode a functional keratin protein, distinguishing it from functional KRT16, and instead may have roles in the regulation of gene expression and cellular pathways via RNA-mediated mechanisms. Pseudogenes like KRT16P6 are often the remnants of ancestral genes and can acquire regulatory roles, especially as lncRNAs.

Other names

lncKRT16P6

Not applicable for drugs, but mechanistically, lncKRT16P6 acts by “sponging” miR-3180 and regulating GATAD2A expression (affecting gene expression regulatory networks)