scaant1: SCAANT1, a long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), is transcribed antisense to the ATXN7 gene and is implicated in the regulation of Ataxin-7, a protein associated with spinocerebellar ataxia type 7 (SCA7), a neurodegenerative disorder [PMC3941653]. It functions as a repressor of Ataxin-7 transcription through epigenetic modifications and is dependent on the transcription factor CTCF [PMC3941653], [PMC7760973]. SCAANT1 expression leads to repressive epigenetic signals at the Ataxin-7 promoter and its loss results in de-repression of ataxin-7 transcription, chromatin remodeling, and an increase in ATXN7 mRNA levels [PMC7116994], [PMC3715420]. In SCA7 patients, lower levels of SCAANT1 correlate with longer CAG repeats within ATXN7, which are indicative of disease severity [PMC6416829]. The expression of SCAANT1 inversely correlates with SCA7 expression in patients, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic target to mitigate aberrant Ataxin-7 expression by overexpressing this antisense lncRNA [PMC7218086], [PMC3495748]. However, abnormal CAG repeat expansions can lead to inefficient formation of SCAANT1 and subsequent activation of ATXN7 transcription contributing to the development of SCA7 disease symptoms [PMC8058498].