Long intergenic non-protein coding RNA, muscle differentiation 1 (LINCMD1)

Long intergenic non-protein coding RNA, muscle differentiation 1 (LINCMD1) is a cytoplasmic, muscle-specific long non-coding RNA that acts as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) during muscle differentiation. It functions by sequestering microRNAs miR-133 and miR-135, thereby relieving repression on the transcription factors mastermind-like protein 1 (MAML1) and myocyte enhancer factor 2C (MEF2C), which are key for activating muscle-specific gene expression. LINCMD1 also participates in the regulation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in leiomyoma by sponging miR-135b to control APC, a negative regulator of this signaling axis. Expression of LINCMD1 is reduced in Duchenne muscular dystrophy and in uterine leiomyomas, implicating it in both muscle and smooth muscle pathologies. It is also involved in the regulation of muscle regeneration and myoblast differentiation. Currently, LINCMD1 is viewed as a potential therapeutic target for muscle and smooth muscle disorders, though no drugs directly acting on it have been reported.

Other names

linc-MD1 (in mice and general literature)long intergenic non-protein coding RNA, muscle differentiation 1

Acts as a ceRNA, sequestering miR-133 and miR-135, preventing these microRNAs from repressing their targets MAML1 and MEF2C in muscle or APC in leiomyoma.