Details for: PYCARD AS1

Gene ID: 100652740

Gene Type:  ncRNA (Non-coding RNA)  - A functional RNA molecule that is transcribed from DNA but not translated into a protein. Includes classes like miRNA and lncRNA.

Symbol: PYCARD AS1

Ensembl ID: ENSG00000261359

Description: PYCARD antisense RNA 1

Cell Significance Landscape

Significant Cells

Cell Significance Index (CSI) scores for the chosen context(s)

  • conventional dendritic cell CL0000990
    CSI 26.41
    rCSI 22.05%
    PRS 99.67
  • CD8-positive, alpha-beta memory T cell, CD45RO-positive CL0001203
    CSI 16.22
    rCSI 19.65%
    PRS 99.43
  • regulatory T cell CL0000815
    CSI 15.68
    rCSI 18.18%
    PRS 99.69
  • basal cell of epidermis CL0002187
    CSI 7.44
    rCSI 13.19%
    PRS 99.31
  • innate lymphoid cell CL0001065
    CSI 5.47
    rCSI 11.29%
    PRS 99.76
  • chondrocyte CL0000138
    CSI 4.72
    rCSI 7.5%
    PRS 99.92
  • suprabasal keratinocyte CL4033013
    CSI 4.57
    rCSI 7.46%
    PRS 99.6
  • melanocyte of skin CL1000458
    CSI 4.27
    rCSI 5.82%
    PRS 99.53
  • helper T cell CL0000912
    CSI 3.72
    rCSI 5.26%
    PRS 99.76
  • cytotoxic T cell CL0000910
    CSI 3.58
    rCSI 20.54%
    PRS 99.79

Cell ID: Standard Cell Ontology term used for mapping and comparing cells across experiments. Ensures consistency in analyzing cellular functions across tissues.
Fold Change: Represents the ratio of the current Cell Significance Index to the Cell Significance Index Threshold, indicating how much the gene expression has changed compared to a baseline.
Cell Significance Index: Reflects how strongly a gene is expressed in this specific cell.

Cell ID: Standard Cell Ontology term used for mapping and comparing cells across experiments. Ensures consistency in analyzing cellular functions across tissues.
Fold Change: Represents the ratio of the current Cell Significance Index to the Cell Significance Index Threshold, indicating how much the gene expression has changed compared to a baseline.
Cell Significance Index: Reflects how strongly a gene is expressed in this cell type. Calculated using techniques like effect size estimation and bootstrapping for reliability.

Cell ID: Standard Cell Ontology term used for mapping and comparing cells across experiments. Ensures consistency in analyzing cellular functions across tissues.
Fold Change: Represents the ratio of the current Cell Significance Index to the Cell Significance Index Threshold, indicating how much the gene expression has changed compared to a baseline.
Cell Significance Index: Reflects how strongly a gene is expressed in this cell type. Calculated using techniques like effect size estimation and bootstrapping for reliability.
Network Configuration

Explore relationships of the current gene. Select an Interaction Source: 'ONTOLOGY' for shared pathways (GO/Reactome) or 'STRING' for protein-protein interactions. Further refine by selecting context genes and comparing Cell Significance Index (CSI) scores between baseline and target cell types and their specific contexts.

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Legend:
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  • Node Color (Target Cell CSI, relative to current network):
    • Very High
    • High
    • Medium
    • Low
    • Very Low
    • CSI N/A
  • Node Size: Proportional to Target Cell CSI magnitude
  • STRING PPI Edge
  • Shared Pathway Edge (ONTOLOGY)

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Other Information

This section provides additional information about the gene, including a description generated by an AI language model and details about associated proteins.

## Summary [PYCARD AS1](/details-gene/100652740) is a non-coding antisense RNA located on chromosome 16p11.2. As an antisense transcript to the gene encoding the inflammasome adaptor protein PYCARD (also known as ASC), its primary function is likely to involve the regulation of its sense counterpart. **Overall**, expression data reveals that [PYCARD AS1](/details-gene/100652740) has the most significant expression footprint in immune cells, particularly [conventional dendritic cells](/details-cell/CL0000990), and various T lymphocyte subsets. This expression pattern strongly suggests a role in modulating innate and adaptive immune responses, potentially by fine-tuning inflammasome activity. ## Cellular Roles and Expression Landscape The expression profile of [PYCARD AS1](/details-gene/100652740) highlights its significant role within the immune system and also points to activity in epithelial tissues. * **Dominance in Immune Cells:** The gene's most significant cellular context is within the immune system. It shows an exceptionally high Cell Significance Index (CSI) in [conventional dendritic cells](/details-cell/CL0000990) (CSI: 26.41), indicating a potentially crucial role in this key antigen-presenting cell lineage. Significant expression is also observed across multiple T cell subsets, including [CD8-positive, alpha-beta memory T cells, CD45RO-positive](/details-cell/CL0001203) (CSI: 16.22), [regulatory T cells](/details-cell/CL0000815) (CSI: 15.68), [helper T cells](/details-cell/CL0000912) (CSI: 3.72), and [cytotoxic T cells](/details-cell/CL0000910) (CSI: 3.58). Its presence in [innate lymphoid cells](/details-cell/CL0001065) (CSI: 5.47) further broadens its relevance across both innate and adaptive immunity. * **Expression in Other Tissues:** Beyond the immune system, [PYCARD AS1](/details-gene/100652740) is also significantly expressed in several cell types of the skin, including [basal cells of the epidermis](/details-cell/CL0002187) (CSI: 7.44), [suprabasal keratinocytes](/details-cell/CL4033013) (CSI: 4.57), and [melanocytes of the skin](/details-cell/CL1000458) (CSI: 4.27). This suggests a potential function in skin homeostasis or cutaneous immune responses. Additionally, its noted expression in [chondrocytes](/details-cell/CL0000138) (CSI: 4.72) hints at a possible role in cartilage biology. ## Pathways and Molecular Function While direct functional annotations are not provided, the gene's name, [PYCARD AS1](/details-gene/100652740), implies its primary molecular function is the regulation of the PYCARD gene. PYCARD is an essential adaptor protein that links upstream pattern recognition receptors to downstream caspases, leading to the assembly of the inflammasome complex. This process is central to the inflammatory response and pyroptotic cell death. As an antisense transcript, [PYCARD AS1](/details-gene/100652740) may function by: * Binding to PYCARD pre-mRNA or mRNA, leading to its degradation or translational repression. * Modifying the chromatin state at the PYCARD locus to regulate its transcription. Consequently, the biological processes associated with [PYCARD AS1](/details-gene/100652740) are likely to be those controlled by the inflammasome, such as interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) processing, innate immune system activation, and the regulation of inflammatory responses. Its high significance in [conventional dendritic cells](/details-cell/CL0000990) and T cells is consistent with a role in modulating inflammation and cell fate decisions in these key immune effector cells. ## Research Directions The specific expression pattern of [PYCARD AS1](/details-gene/100652740) in critical immune cells, coupled with its implied regulatory function over the inflammasome, provides a foundation for several testable hypotheses. **Proposed Hypotheses:** 1. **Hypothesis:** [PYCARD AS1](/details-gene/100652740) acts as a negative regulator of inflammasome activation in [conventional dendritic cells](/details-cell/CL0000990). By suppressing PYCARD expression, it establishes a higher threshold for triggering pro-inflammatory cytokine release and pyroptosis, thereby preventing excessive immune responses to benign stimuli. 2. **Hypothesis:** In long-lived lymphocyte populations such as [CD8-positive, alpha-beta memory T cells, CD45RO-positive](/details-cell/CL0001203) and [regulatory T cells](/details-cell/CL0000815), elevated expression of [PYCARD AS1](/details-gene/100652740) is a homeostatic mechanism that protects these cells from premature pyroptotic cell death, thus contributing to the maintenance of immunological memory and tolerance. **Experimental Approach to Test Hypothesis 1:** To investigate the role of [PYCARD AS1](/details-gene/100652740) as a negative regulator in dendritic cells, one could perform loss-of-function studies. Primary human monocyte-derived dendritic cells could be transfected with locked nucleic acids (LNAs) or antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) designed to specifically knock down [PYCARD AS1](/details-gene/100652740). Following knockdown, these cells would be stimulated with well-characterized inflammasome activators (e.g., LPS followed by nigericin for NLRP3). Key readouts would include: * **Molecular Level:** Quantification of PYCARD mRNA (RT-qPCR) and protein (Western blot) to confirm the regulatory relationship. * **Functional Level:** Measurement of secreted IL-1β and IL-18 (ELISA) and assessment of pyroptosis via an LDH release assay. An increase in these functional outputs upon [PYCARD AS1](/details-gene/100652740) knockdown would support the hypothesis that it acts as an endogenous brake on inflammasome activity. **Therapeutic Potential:** Given its putative role as a regulator of the central inflammasome protein PYCARD, [PYCARD AS1](/details-gene/100652740) represents an intriguing therapeutic target. If it is confirmed to be an inhibitor of inflammasome activity, synthetic mimics or agonists of [PYCARD AS1](/details-gene/100652740) could be developed as a novel class of anti-inflammatory agents for treating autoinflammatory diseases, such as cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes (CAPS) or gout. Conversely, targeted inhibition of [PYCARD AS1](/details-gene/100652740) using ASOs could be explored as a strategy to boost innate immune responses, potentially serving as a vaccine adjuvant or as a component of cancer immunotherapy to enhance pro-inflammatory tumor microenvironments.