VIM antisense RNA 1 (VIM-AS1)

VIM antisense RNA 1 (VIM-AS1) is a 1.8-kilobase long non-coding RNA transcribed antisense to the vimentin gene, enriched in the nucleus and implicated as both an epigenetic modulator and a cancer-related biomarker. Its mechanism involves R-loop formation at the VIM locus, modulating chromatin structure and vimentin gene expression. VIM-AS1 has oncogenic roles in several cancers, where it promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition, cell proliferation, migration, and metastasis through regulation of signaling pathways like Wnt/β-catenin and NF-κB, and impacts apoptosis in a context-dependent manner. Importantly, the expression level of VIM-AS1 can serve as a prognostic marker for tumor progression and patient outcome in specific cancer types. No approved drugs directly target VIM-AS1, but its biological activities suggest therapeutic potential for future antigene strategies, though context-dependent safety concerns remain.

Other names

VIM-AS1VIM antisense RNA 1BC078172 transcript

N/A (No drugs targeting VIM-AS1 have mechanistic evidence; conceptually, antisense oligonucleotides or RNAi may silence VIM-AS1 and thus affect cancer cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis)