Myosin light chain 12A (MYL12A) (MYL12A)

Myosin light chain 12A (MYL12A) is a regulatory subunit of the non-muscle myosin II complex, which is essential for converting chemical energy from ATP into mechanical force (UniProt: P19105). It regulates the actin-myosin interaction and myosin ATPase activity through phosphorylation at specific residues, such as Ser-19 and Thr-18, a process primarily mediated by kinases like Myosin Light Chain Kinase (MLCK) and Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) (PubMed: 15601825). Biologically, MYL12A is involved in critical cellular processes including cytokinesis, cell motility, and the maintenance of cell shape and polarity (NCBI Gene: 10627). In clinical contexts, MYL12A is implicated in cancer progression, where its over-activation promotes tumor cell invasion and metastasis, and in inflammatory diseases like Crohn's disease, where it modulates intestinal epithelial barrier function (PubMed: 28465355). While direct small-molecule inhibitors of the MYL12A protein are not widely used in the clinic, it serves as a critical downstream effector for ROCK inhibitors like Fasudil and Netarsudil, and its mRNA is a target for experimental RNA interference (siRNA) therapies aimed at reducing its expression in pathological conditions (PubMed: 31235510).

Other names

MLC-2BMRLC3MYL2BMyosin regulatory light chain 12AMRCL3Myosin light chain 2, regulatory, non-sarcomeric

Inhibition of regulatory light chain phosphorylation via ROCK or MLCK inhibition; targeted degradation of mRNA via RNA interference (siRNA).