Testis-associated highly-conserved oncogenic long non-coding RNA (THOR)

Testis-associated highly-conserved oncogenic long non-coding RNA (THOR) is an ultraconserved long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) expressed almost exclusively in the testis and a broad range of human cancers, but not in most other normal tissues[1][2][3][5]. THOR displays strong sequence conservation across vertebrates and is notable as the first characterized "cancer/testis" lncRNA, a subclass of lncRNAs restricted to testis and cancers. Functionally, THOR interacts with the mRNA-binding protein IGF2BP1 to regulate the stability of oncogenic transcripts, promoting cell proliferation and tumor progression[1][3]. Knockdown of THOR impairs tumor growth and results in reduced tumorigenicity, while overexpression accelerates tumor progression and can affect fertility and embryogenesis in animal models[1][3]. There are no known drug interactions or established biomarkers directly linked to THOR. As a highly specific cancer-associated lncRNA, THOR is emerging as a potential target for cancer therapeutics, though targeting it may also affect fertility due to its testis-specific expression[1][3].

Other names

THORLNCTHORTestis-associated oncogenic lncRNALOC124907879

Regulation of mRNA stability through IGF2BP1 binding - Promotion of cell proliferation and tumorigenesis via lncRNA-mediated pathways