MicroRNA 656 (miR-656)

MicroRNA 656 (miR-656) is a member of the large miR-379/656 cluster, also known as C14MC, located in the imprinted DLK1-Dio3 region at human chromosome 14q32.3. MiR-656 is a small non-coding RNA molecule that post-transcriptionally regulates gene expression by binding to complementary sequences in the 3’ UTR regions of target mRNAs, leading to their repression. The miR-379/656 cluster, including miR-656, is implicated in diverse biological and pathological processes, including development, vascular remodeling, and especially cancer. In multiple tumor types such as breast and colorectal cancer, miR-656 expression is frequently downregulated. In colorectal cancer, miR-656-3p inhibits proliferation, migration, invasion, and chemoresistance of cancer cells, partly by targeting sphingosine-1-phosphate phosphatase 1 (SGPP1). In breast cancer, altered expression of miRNAs in the miR-379/656 cluster serves as a strong diagnostic and prognostic marker, particularly for Basal and Luminal B subtypes[1][2][3].

Other names

MIR656hsa-mir-656MIRN656mir-656

Binds to 3’ untranslated region (UTR) of target mRNA (SGPP1), inhibiting translation or leading to mRNA degradation[2]