MicroRNA 625 (miR-625)

MicroRNA 625 (miR-625) belongs to the class of microRNAs—non-coding RNAs about 22 nucleotides long—which regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally. It acts by binding to complementary sequences in the 3′ untranslated region (UTR) of target mRNAs, leading to their degradation or translational repression. miR-625 has been identified as a critical modulator in many cancers, showing tumor-suppressive or oncogenic actions depending on context and specific gene targets. In cancers such as laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, loss of miR-625 promotes cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, partly through derepression of SOX4—a transcription factor crucial for epithelial–mesenchymal transition. Conversely, in colorectal cancer, elevated miR-625-3p is associated with increased migration and invasion and contributes to chemotherapy resistance. miR-625 is thus actively investigated as both a diagnostic/prognostic biomarker and a candidate for gene-targeted therapies, though practical application still faces major hurdles such as delivery specificity and potential unintended gene perturbation.

Other names

hsa-mir-625MIR625MIRN625miR-625-5pmiR-625-3p

Gene silencing via base-pairing with target mRNA; inhibits expression of specific genes such as SOX2, SOX4, SCAI, RUNX1T1, HMGA1, IGF2BP1, AXL, PKM2, among others. Drugs or RNA-targeted therapies modulating miR-625 can potentially restore sensitivity to chemotherapy, inhibit tumor proliferation, invasion, and metastasis.