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Emerging Epigenetic Regulation of Circular RNAs in Human Cancer

Jie Wu1, Xiaoqian Qi1, Lina Liu2

  • 1The School and Hospital of Stomatology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China.

Molecular Therapy. Nucleic Acids
|May 15, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are stable noncoding RNAs with diverse functions. These molecules are linked to human cancers, serving as potential biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular biology
  • Genetics
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of noncoding RNAs.
  • They possess a unique covalently closed-loop structure, conferring high stability compared to linear transcripts.
  • circRNAs are widely found in eukaryotic cells and perform various biological functions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the characteristics and functions of circRNAs.
  • To explore the relationship between circRNAs and human cancer.
  • To highlight circRNAs as potential cancer biomarkers.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of circRNA characteristics and functions.
  • Analysis of studies linking circRNAs to cancer development and progression.
  • Review of research on circRNAs as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers.

Main Results:

  • circRNAs exhibit diverse functions, including miRNA sponging, transcriptional regulation, and protein interactions.
  • circRNAs are implicated in the pathogenesis of various human cancers.
  • circRNAs show promise as biomarkers for early cancer diagnosis, treatment evaluation, and prognosis.

Conclusions:

  • circRNAs are stable, functional noncoding RNAs with significant roles in cellular processes.
  • The dysregulation of circRNAs is associated with human cancer.
  • circRNAs represent a promising area for cancer biomarker development and therapeutic strategies.
Keywords:
biogenesisbiomarkercancercircRNAepigenetics

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