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Glite Dictionary
to downregulate

to downregulate

1 7.6
To reduce the activity or amount of something, such as genes and proteins
  • verb
  • /ˌdaʊnˈrɛɡjʊˌleɪt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : downregular
  • While LUM and KERA were upregulated, VCAN was downregulated.
  • activation is downregulated
  • downregulate the expression

Examples

  • Hsacirc0000190 was downregulated in both GC tissues and plasma samples from patients with GC.

    Academic text (2017)

  • Hsacirc0001649 was downregulated in GC tissue compared with their paired normal tissues and correlated significantly with pathological differentiation.

    Academic text (2017)

  • Proteins downregulated in ACF kidneys

    Academic text (2018)

  • Hsacirc0000096 was downregulated significantly in GC tissues and cell lines.

    Academic text (2017)

  • The let-7 family of miRNAs are strong regulators of cancer stem cell genes and are downregulated in pancreatic tumors.

    Academic text (2017)

  • Qin et al. found that hsacirc0001649 expression was downregulated significantly in HCC tissues compared with adjacent liver tissues.

    Academic text (2017)

  • The expression of transforming growth factor-b1 was significantly downregulated in healing chicken flexor tendon treated with nanosphere/plasmids 158.

    Academic text (2018)

  • Recently, it was reported that circ-Foxo3, which is encoded by the FOXO3 gene, was downregulated significantly in breast tumor specimens compared with the adjacent benign tissue.

    Academic text (2017)

  • Furthermore, Simvastatin treatment significantly downregulated the expression of IGFBP-3 and VEGF-beta (both P<0.01 vs. control), as determined by ELISA (Fig. 3D).

    Academic text (2018)

  • Researchers discovered that certain environmental factors can downregulate the expression of specific genes linked to stress response.

Synonyms

to inhibit
vsto downregulate
30 5.4

Stop or make something less likely to happen

means decreasing activity or amount rather than fully stopping it
to dial down
vsto downregulate
4 4.1

To make a feeling, sound, or action less strong

is used for decreasing activity or expression in biological contexts
to knock down
vsto downregulate
  • Specialized
1 7.8

Reduce how much a gene works in cells

is the general biological decrease of activity or amount

Antonyms

to upregulate
  • Specialized
1 8.1

To increase the amount or activity of something inside a cell like a gene

How Reduced

to eliminate
  • NSFW
502 3.4
to suppress
176 4.8
to downregulate
  • Specialized
1 7.6
to reduce
∞ 1.6
to diminish
201 3.7

Surface Forms

downregulate infinitive
downregulated past
downregulated past participle
downregulating present participle
downregulates third person singular

Morphology

downregulate = regulate (transparent) = down + down + regulate

The productive prefix 'down-' meaning 'reduce' combines with the verb 'regulate' in a straightforward way to mean 'reduce regulation or activity'.

Etymology

Downregulate combines down ('lower') and regulate (which means 'to control' and is the same part you see in regular). So, to downregulate something is to reduce or turn down its activity or amount, for example a gene, hormone, or part of the immune system.