MicroRNA 651 (miR-651)

MicroRNA 651 (miR-651) is a small, non-coding RNA molecule in humans belonging to the microRNA family. miR-651 mediates post-transcriptional gene silencing by guiding the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) to target mRNAs, typically causing translational inhibition or degradation. The mature miR-651 molecule is derived from a precursor transcript (~70 nucleotides), which is sequentially processed by Drosha and Dicer enzymes. miR-651-5p and miR-651-3p are major forms, with roles in suppressing cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and enhancing apoptosis. Its expression is down-regulated in certain cancers (e.g., lung cancer), and it directly targets genes such as calmodulin 2 (CALM2), thereby influencing tumor cell behavior. miR-651 is actively studied as a biomarker and potential therapeutic target due to its functional relevance in oncogenesis and disease progression. Key points: microRNA 651 is not a protein, enzyme, or receptor but a regulatory non-coding RNA molecule. It functions through post-transcriptional gene silencing, mainly in cancer biology. Its aliases, molecular class, and functional roles are well established, but no direct drugs targeting this microRNA are FDA-approved or widely cited as of September 2025.

Other names

hsa-miR-651MIRN651mir-651MIR651microRNA-651-5pmicroRNA-651-3p

Modulation of miR-651 levels (using miR-651 mimics or inhibitors) regulates gene expression, e.g., by suppressing targets like CALM2, affecting cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis