EPIC1: An Extremely Powerful Epigenetic Drug Target and Biomarker

Target Name: EPIC1

NCBI ID: G284930

Other Name(s): epigenetically induced MYC interacting lncRNA 1 | Epigenetically induced MYC interacting lncRNA 1 | Lnc-EPIC1

EPIC1: An Extremely Powerful Epigenetic Drug Target and Biomarker

Introduction

Epigenetic regulation plays a crucial role in cellular development, maintenance, and survival. The term epigenetics was first introduced to describe the study of how genetic information is expressed and perceived in response to environmental and cellular factors, without the change in the underlying DNA sequence. One of the key epigenetic factors is microRNA (miRNA), which is a non-coding RNA molecule that plays a vital role in post-transcriptional gene regulation by binding to specific target genes.

Recent studies have identified miRNA-22 (miR-22) as a promising drug target and biomarker for various diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and developmental disorders. miR-22 is a highly conserved miRNA that is expressed in various tissues and cells, including pluripotent stem cells, neurons, and cancer cells. Its expression level can be modulated by factors such as DNA methylation, histone modification, and small non-coding RNAs, which are known as epigenetic modifiers.

EPIC1: A New miRNA-22 Target

The elucidation of the epigenetic roadmap has led to the identification of a new target for miR-22, that is EPIC1 (Epigenetically Induced MYC Interacting LncRNA 1).

EPIC1 is a long non-coding RNA molecule that is expressed in various tissues and cells, including brain, muscle, heart, and cancer cells. It is highly expressed in pluripotent stem cells and has been shown to be involved in the regulation of stem cells proliferation and differentiation.

EPIC1 has been shown to interact with the miR-22 complex, which consists of the miR-22 target RNA and the miR-22 scaffold proteins. The miR-22 complex plays a crucial role in post-transcriptional gene regulation by binding to specific target genes and regulating their expression levels.

EPIC1 has been shown to be a direct target of miR-22, and the expression ofEPIC1 is regulated by miR-22 in various tissues and cells. Studies have shown that overexpression ofEPIC1 using RNA interference (RNAi) technology led to a significant reduction in the levels of EPIC1 in the target cells, while miR-22 expression was increased.

Furthermore, EPIC1 has been shown to play a role in the regulation of cellular processes such as cell growth, apoptosis, and autophagy. It has been shown to be involved in the formation of stress granules, which are organelles that are involved in the regulation of cellular stress responses, and in the regulation of mitochondrial function.

EPIC1 as a Drug Target

The identification of EPIC1 as a target for miR-22 has significant implications for the development of new drugs for various diseases. Since miR-22 is known to play a role in post-transcriptional gene regulation, and EPIC1 is a direct target of miR- 22, researchers are investigating whether drugs that target EPIC1 can be used to treat diseases that are characterized by the over-expression of miR-22.

Diseases such as cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and developmental disorders have been associated with the over-expression of miR-22. These diseases have a significant impact on human health and are a major burden on society. For example, cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease have a significant impact on quality of life and economic burden.

Several drugs that target miR-22 have been shown to be effective in treating these diseases. For example, the drug letrozole, which is an inhibitor of the enzyme aromatase, has been shown to be effective in treating breast cancer, in

Protein Name: Epigenetically Induced MYC Interacting LncRNA 1

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