SNCA antisense RNA 1 (SNCA-AS1)

SNCA antisense RNA 1 (SNCA-AS1) is a long non-coding RNA transcribed from the opposite strand of the SNCA gene locus, with partial overlap of the 5' exonic region of SNCA. SNCA-AS1 regulates the expression of SNCA, which encodes α-synuclein, a key protein involved in synaptic function and whose pathological aggregation is a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease and related disorders. Overexpression of SNCA-AS1 leads to increased SNCA expression and promotes changes in the transcriptome associated with reduced synaptic plasticity, altered neurite extension, and increased cellular senescence — processes central to brain aging and neurodegeneration. Reduced SNCA-AS1 has the opposite effect, decreasing SNCA levels and related pathogenic pathways. SNCA-AS1 is thus both a molecular regulator of synaptic and aging biology and a promising target for disease-modifying approaches in neurodegenerative disease, especially Parkinson's disease.

Other names

SNCA antisense RNA 1SNCA-AS1Alpha-synuclein antisense transcript

Inhibition of SNCA-AS1 expression can lead to downregulation of SNCA (reducing α-synuclein production). Overexpression of SNCA-AS1 increases SNCA mRNA and protein, promoting pathogenic processes associated with Parkinson’s disease. Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) may block SNCA-AS1 or its effects on the sense SNCA transcript.