mir-615 microRNA is a short
non-coding RNA molecule belonging both to the family of
microRNAs and to that of
small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). MicroRNAs function to regulate the
expression levels of other genes by several mechanisms, whilst siRNAs are involved primarily with the
RNA interference (RNAi) pathway. siRNAs have been linked through some members to the regulation of
cancer
Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...
cell growth, specifically in
prostate adenocarcinoma
Adenocarcinoma (; plural adenocarcinomas or adenocarcinomata ) (AC) is a type of cancerous tumor that can occur in several parts of the body. It is defined as neoplasia of epithelial tissue that has glandular origin, glandular characteristics, or ...
.
miR-615 and NGX6
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), or nasopharynx cancer, is the most common cancer originating in the nasopharynx, most commonly in the postero-lateral nasopharynx or pharyngeal recess ( fossa of Rosenmüller), accounting for 50% of cases. NPC occurs ...
-associated gene 6 (NGX6) acts as a tumour suppressor gene in
colon cancer
Colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is the development of cancer from the colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine). Signs and symptoms may include blood in the stool, a change in bowel mo ...
. miR-615 has been found to be
downregulated
In the biological context of organisms' production of gene products, downregulation is the process by which a cell decreases the quantity of a cellular component, such as RNA or protein, in response to an external stimulus. The complementary proce ...
in NGX6-transfected cells, although identification of its target genes has not yet been achieved.
''Hox'' cluster conservation
miR-615 has been found to reside within ''
Hox gene'' clusters, alongside ''Hox'' genes other miRNAs. ''Hox'' genes are involved in
anterior-posterior axis patterning. miR-615 is located at the ''HOXC5'' (encdoing the
HOXC5 homeobox protein)
intron
An intron is any nucleotide sequence within a gene that is not expressed or operative in the final RNA product. The word ''intron'' is derived from the term ''intragenic region'', i.e. a region inside a gene."The notion of the cistron .e., gene. ...
in mammals.
See also
*
MicroRNA
References
Further reading
*
*
External links
*
MicroRNA
MicroRNA precursor families
{{genetics-stub