Prader-Willi region non-protein coding RNA 1 (PWRN1)

Prader-Willi region non-protein coding RNA 1 (PWRN1) is a long non-coding RNA gene located in the Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) region on chromosome 15. It is characterized as a non-coding transcript, and does not encode a protein. PWRN1 shows allele-specific expression: it is bi-allelically expressed in the testis and kidney, but only the paternal allele is expressed in the brain. The gene is poly-adenylated, undergoes alternative splicing, and may form part of a complex imprinting transcription unit. The exact biological function of PWRN1 remains unclear, but evidence suggests it may play a role in the establishment or maintenance of paternal imprinting in the PWS region, potentially by maintaining the paternal allele in an open chromatin configuration[4][7]. In cancer biology, PWRN1 has been identified as dysregulated in gastric cancer where it appears to act as a tumor suppressor, inhibiting proliferation and metastasis by acting as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) that sponges miR-425-5p and affects the PTEN/AKT/MDM2/p53 signaling pathway[1]. The gene's contribution to Prader-Willi syndrome phenotype is unconfirmed, and its involvement in head and neck cancer is suggested via lncRNA aliases but requires further validation[4][7][9]. It is not currently classified as a direct therapeutic target, nor are there known drugs or biomarkers specifically acting on PWRN1.

Other names

NCRNA00198LOHAN1non-protein coding RNA 198lncRNA oncogene in head and neck cancer 1PWRN3