Maternally expressed gene 8 long non-coding RNA (MEG8)

Maternally expressed gene 8 (MEG8) is a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) encoded within the DLK1-DIO3 imprinted locus. MEG8 does not code for a protein but regulates gene expression through multiple epigenetic and post-transcriptional mechanisms. It is known to associate with the chromatin-modifying enzyme EZH2, recruiting it to specific genomic loci to drive H3K27 methylation and transcriptional repression. MEG8 is critical for modulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in certain cancers, acting in concert with other lncRNAs, such as MEG3, to regulate genes involved in cell adhesion, migration, and invasion[1]. Furthermore, MEG8 functions in the immune system by acting as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA), sponging microRNA-107 and regulating the expression of STAT3, a transcription factor important for the differentiation of T regulatory cells (Treg) and Th17 cells[2]. Its dysregulation has been implicated in cancer progression and in immune-related diseases characterized by T cell imbalance. MEG8 is not a direct therapeutic target (receptor, enzyme, transporter), but rather a regulatory RNA with emerging significance in epigenetics, cancer biology, and immunology[1][2].

Other names

NCRNA00024IrmRianBsrLINC00024AL132709.8lnc-MGCnon-protein coding RNA 24RNA imprinted and accumulated in nucleusImprinted RNA near Meg3/Gtl2long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 24lncRNA microRNA megacluster host gene

Associates with EZH2 (a component of Polycomb Repressive Complex 2) to induce H3K27 methylation and silence specific genes; Functions as a sponge for microRNA-107, thereby modulating STAT3 levels