{"type": "root", "children": [{"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\nRecent investigations have revealed that the PINK1 locus plays a vital role in cellular homeostasis. The canonical PINK1 gene encodes a serine/threonine kinase that is essential for maintaining mitochondrial integrity and function—a process implicated in the pathology of multiple sclerosis. This foundational role of PINK1 sets the stage for understanding how related regulatory RNAs might influence cellular processes."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "1"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), PINK1 antisense RNA (PINK1‑AS) has been identified as a key regulator of tumor metabolism. PINK1‑AS acts as a competitive endogenous RNA by sponging miR‑34a‑5p, thereby counteracting miR‑34a‑5p–mediated inhibition of ALDOA—a critical enzyme of the glycolytic pathway. Furthermore, its expression is promoted by the transcription factor MKL‑1, which also enhances ALDOA levels, collectively contributing to enhanced glycolysis and tumor progression."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "2"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "Together, these findings highlight a dual aspect of the PINK1 locus: while the protein encoded by PINK1 ensures mitochondrial protection crucial for neural health, its antisense transcript, PINK1‑AS, modulates metabolic pathways that drive malignancy in HCC. This integrated regulatory mechanism offers promising insights into disease pathogenesis, suggesting that targeting PINK1‑AS might yield novel prognostic and therapeutic strategies across distinct clinical conditions."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "1"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": ""}]}, {"type": "rg", "children": [{"type": "r", "ref": 1, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Mona Patoughi, Soudeh Ghafouri-Fard, Shahram Arsang-Jang, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Expression analysis of "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "i"}], "href": "i"}, {"type": "t", "text": "PINK1"}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "/i"}], "href": "/i"}, {"type": "t", "text": " and "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "i"}], "href": "i"}, {"type": "t", "text": "PINK1-AS"}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "/i"}], "href": "/i"}, {"type": "t", "text": " in multiple sclerosis patients versus healthy subjects."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Nucleosides Nucleotides Nucleic Acids (2021)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1080/15257770.2020.1844229"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1080/15257770.2020.1844229"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "33161812"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33161812"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 2, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Jun Wang, Hui-Min Zhang, Zhou-Tong Dai, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "MKL-1-induced PINK1-AS overexpression contributes to the malignant progression of hepatocellular carcinoma via ALDOA-mediated glycolysis."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Sci Rep (2022)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1038/s41598-022-24023-w"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-24023-w"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "36494481"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36494481"}]}]}]}