Critical analysis of the hypothesized SNHG1/miR-195-5p/YAP1 axis
Steven P. Zielske, Frank C. Cackowski
Abstract
How lncRNAs such as SNHG1 are integrated into cellular pathways to regulate, or be a regulatory component of, cellular processes is a question yet to be completely answered. A potential mechanism by which SNHG1 may exert its effect is through the so-called sponge effect. In this mechanism, SNHG1 (or other lncRNAs) is thought to bind miRNAs as a molecular sponge in a sequence-specific manner and inhibit their ability to bind and inhibit translation of a specific mRNA. The recent paper by In their proposed model, miRNA-195-5p binds to, and causes degradation of, YAP1 mRNA. MiRNA-195-5p is in turn modulated through the sponging activity of SNHG1. These interactions theoretically occur through a region of 7 nucleotide complementarity. Thus, YAP1 target protein expression can be modulated through a complex interplay involving the degree of SNHG1 and miR-195-5p expression. High SNHG1 should lead to greater sponging of miR-195-5p, and result in high YAP1 mRNA and protein levels, and conversely, low SNHG1 should lead to less sponging of miR-195-5p, and therefore low YAP1 mRNA and protein levels.