Aqr, also known as Aquarius, is an RNA helicase. It plays critical roles in multiple biological processes. In nucleic acid metabolism, Aqr, like other helicases, is involved in R-loop biogenesis. It can use its strand-annealing activity to promote R-loop formation or its unwinding activity to resolve R-loops [1]. Additionally, Aqr is associated with pathways related to glucose metabolism, endothelial cell senescence, and pre-mRNA splicing.

In hyperglycemia-induced endothelial cell senescence, overexpression of Aqr promoted endothelial cell senescence, as shown by increased senescence-associated beta-galactosidase staining, upregulation of CDKN1A (P21), prohibited cellular colony formation, and G2/M phase arrest. Transcriptomic analyses identified that Aqr regulated cellular senescence through the AQR/PLAU signaling axis [2]. In glucose metabolism, knockdown of Aqr in HepG2 cells facilitated glucose uptake, decreased PCK2 expression, increased GSK-3β phosphorylation, and restored insulin sensitivity. Also, suppression of AQR inhibited the mTOR pathway and protein ubiquitination process, suggesting Aqr is a novel type 2 diabetes-associated gene [3]. In pre-mRNA splicing, inactivation of Aqr leads to the stalling of a spliceosome intermediate-the BAQR complex-during the catalytic activation process [4].

In conclusion, Aqr is an important gene involved in R-loop regulation, glucose metabolism, endothelial cell senescence, and pre-mRNA splicing. Studies related to Aqr contribute to understanding the mechanisms of type 2 diabetes and endothelial cell-related diseases, providing potential targets for treatment and prevention in these disease areas.