Snhg18, short for small nucleolar RNA host gene 18, is a long non-coding RNA that has been implicated in a variety of biological processes and diseases. It is involved in cell cycle regulation, cell proliferation, apoptosis, and cell motility. It also participates in pathways such as the ubiquitination-proteasome pathway, and is associated with the regulation of genes like c-Myc, p21, miR-22-3p, miR-211-5p, and BRD4 [1,3,4]. Its role in different diseases makes it an important target for understanding disease mechanisms.

In bladder cancer, overexpression of Snhg18 inhibited cell proliferation both in vitro and in vivo. It achieved this by inhibiting c-Myc expression through the ubiquitination-proteasome pathway, which led to an increase in p21 transcription, causing G0-G1 arrest [1]. In hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma, downregulated Snhg18 was involved in disease development, and enhancing it might be the mechanism underlying the antitumor effect of oleanolic acid [2]. In non-small cell lung cancer, Snhg18, induced by MKL1, promoted cell growth and metastasis through the miR-211-5p/BRD4 axis [4]. In glioma, Snhg18 promoted cell invasion and migration by disrupting the nucleocytoplasmic transport of α-enolase (ENO1) [5]. In ovarian aging, downregulated Snhg18 in human granulosa cells induced apoptosis via disruption of glycolysis [6]. In gastric cancer, Snhg18, induced by SHP2-mediated ROS/JNK/NFAT4 signaling pathway, promoted cancer growth and metastasis through the miR-211-5p/BRD4 axis in CAR-T cells [7]. In metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, Snhg18 was downregulated and enriched to metastasis signatures, being associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cell-matrix adhesion pathways [8]. In glioma, Snhg18 accelerated progression via regulating the miR-338-5p/FOXD1 axis [9]. In multiple myeloma, high expression of Snhg18 was associated with poor prognosis [10].

In conclusion, Snhg18 is a crucial long non-coding RNA involved in multiple biological processes and disease conditions. Through functional studies, mainly in vitro and in some cases in vivo, its role in cell proliferation, apoptosis, and metastasis in various cancers and other diseases has been revealed. Understanding Snhg18 provides insights into disease mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets for these diseases.