MIR122 host gene (MIR122HG)

MIR122 host gene (MIR122HG) is a long non-coding RNA that serves as the primary transcript and host gene for the liver-specific microRNA miR-122-5p[1][5]. MIR122HG undergoes processing to produce miR-122, which is highly abundant in hepatocytes and plays major roles in metabolic homeostasis, antiviral responses, and tumor suppression. Overexpression or knockdown of MIR122HG regulates miR-122 expression and thereby influences liver cell proliferation, immune signaling, and the host response to viral infections such as hepatitis C[1]. MIR122HG itself functions mainly by controlling the availability of miR-122-5p, and is not known to have independent protein-coding or receptor/enzymatic activities. It is not currently considered a direct therapeutic target, although its product (miR-122) is being investigated for clinical applications in liver diseases and viral hepatitis therapy[1][2][5]. The misregulation of MIR122HG or miR-122 is implicated in hepatocellular carcinoma and other liver pathologies[2][3][4].

Other names

lnc-pri-miR-122MIR122HG

Not directly targeted by drugs; acts by providing the primary transcript for miR-122-5p, which regulates gene expression post-transcriptionally