Long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 668 (LINC00668)

Long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 668 (LINC00668) is a long non-coding RNA located on chromosome 18p11.31, consisting of 1,751 nucleotides. It does not encode a protein but exerts its effects through regulation of gene expression and acting as a competing endogenous RNA. LINC00668 is frequently upregulated in a range of cancers—including hepatocellular carcinoma, gastric cancer, laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, and oral squamous cell carcinoma—where it promotes tumor progression by increasing cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and facilitating epithelial–mesenchymal transition. High LINC00668 expression correlates with poor prognosis in cancer patients and may serve as a prognostic biomarker. Mechanistically, it functions predominantly in the cytoplasm, acting as a molecular sponge for tumor-suppressive microRNAs such as miR-532-5p and miR-297, thereby upregulating oncogenic targets like YY1 and VEGFA. Several drug candidates have been identified as potential modulators of the LINC00668 network in preclinical studies, but no LINC00668-targeted therapies are clinically approved to date.

Other names

LINC00668long intergenic non-coding RNA 668

No drugs directly target LINC00668 mechanistically; current data involve LINC00668’s impact on tumor biology and drug metabolism pathways. LINC00668 acts as a ceRNA and modulates gene expression through interaction with microRNAs (such as miR-532-5p and miR-297) affecting downstream oncogenic pathways (YY1, VEGFA).