MicroRNA-128-3p (miR-128-3p)

MicroRNA-128-3p (miR-128-3p) is a highly conserved, brain-enriched non-coding RNA that functions as a critical post-transcriptional regulator of gene expression [1, 6]. It modulates diverse biological processes, including neurogenesis, cell proliferation, apoptosis, and the immune response, by binding to the 3' untranslated regions (3' UTR) of target messenger RNAs (mRNAs) to induce their degradation or inhibit translation [1, 4, 8]. In oncology, miR-128-3p predominantly acts as a tumor suppressor in malignancies like glioblastoma and non-small cell lung cancer by targeting genes such as BMI1 and NEK2, though it can exhibit oncogenic properties in specific contexts like osteosarcoma [2, 5, 7]. Beyond cancer, it plays significant roles in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and neuropsychiatric disorders like major depressive disorder [3, 6, 9]. Therapeutically, miR-128-3p is being explored through the use of synthetic miRNA mimics to restore its suppressive functions or antisense oligonucleotides (antagomirs) to inhibit its activity [4, 15]. Key challenges in clinical development include achieving efficient tissue-specific delivery, particularly across the blood-brain barrier, and mitigating potential off-target effects and immunogenicity [9, 12].

Other names

hsa-miR-128-3pmiR-128miR-128amiR-128bMIR128-1MIR128-2

Post-transcriptional gene silencing via binding to the 3' untranslated region (3' UTR) of target mRNAs, leading to mRNA degradation or translational inhibition [1, 11, 17]