Long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 1994 (LINC01994)

Long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 1994 (LINC01994, also known as CASCADES or cancer stem cell-associated distal enhancer of SOX2) is a long non-coding RNA acting as a super-enhancer-associated epigenetic regulator, particularly in glioblastoma stem cells[1][4][5]. It is highly expressed in glioblastoma cancer stem cells, especially those of the IDH-wild-type subtype, where it is required to maintain stemness by controlling SOX2 expression and epigenetically regulating cell differentiation[5]. Knockdown of LINC01994/CASCADES drives differentiation toward a neuronal lineage in these cells, suggesting a critical role in tumor maintenance and possibly treatment resistance[5]. LINC01994 and related lincRNAs are being evaluated as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets in cancer, though currently there are no approved drugs directly targeting this molecule[5][7][10]. Its classification is “long intergenic non-coding RNA” and its actions support stem cell maintenance and epigenetic regulation, primarily in the context of cancer biology. Notes: - LINC01994 is not a protein-coding gene, but a regulatory non-coding RNA[1][4][10]. - The alias LINC01995 may reflect a closely related transcript or a misannotation; the most authoritative source lists it as an alias alongside CASCADES[1][5]. - CASCADES is specifically highlighted as the “cancer stem cell-associated distal enhancer of SOX2,” underscoring its molecular function and cancer relevance[5]. - No small molecule or biologic drugs are yet described that interact directly with LINC01994/CASCADES, but the pathway is of therapeutic interest[5]. - The main disease associations relate to glioblastoma and possibly other cancers through the maintenance of CSCs via SOX2 regulation[5][7].

Other names

CASCADESCancer stem cell-associated distal enhancer of SOX2LINC01995

Epigenetic modulation of SOX2 expression in cancer stem cells; Regulation of stemness and differentiation potential in glioblastoma stem cells