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Updated: Jan 20, 2026
Quantitation of Intra-peritoneal Ovarian Cancer Metastasis
Published on: July 18, 2016
Circular RNAs in cancer: new insights into functions and implications in ovarian cancer
Zahra Shabaninejad1,2, Asma Vafadar3, Ahmad Movahedpour3,4
1Department of Nanobiotechnology, School of Basic Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract:
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) which have a circular and closed loop structure. They are ubiquitous, stable, conserved and diverse RNA molecules with a range of activities such as translation and splicing regulation, which are able to interacting with RNA-binding proteins and specially miRNA sponge. The expression patterns of the circRNAs exhibited tissue specificity and also, step and stage specificity. Accumulating evidences approved the critical role of circular RNAs in many cancers such as ovarian cancer. Given that these molecules exert their effects through multiple cellular and molecular mechanisms (i.e., angiogenesis, apoptosis, growth, and metastasis) which are involved in cancer pathogenesis, circular RNAs, in particular, act by controlling cell proliferation in ovarian cancer, so that, it has been shown that the deregulation of these molecules is associated with initiation and progression of ovarian cancer. Therefore, they are attractive molecules which have introduced them as cancer biomarkers. Moreover, they could be used as new therapeutic candidates for developing novel treatment strategies. Here, for first time, we have provided a comprehensive review on the recent knowledge of circular RNAs and their pathological roles in the ovarian cancer.
Insights
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play a critical role in ovarian cancer by regulating cell proliferation. Their dysregulation is linked to cancer initiation and progression, making them promising biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Oncology
Background:
- Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) with a unique closed-loop structure.
- They are stable, conserved, and exhibit diverse biological activities, including regulating translation, splicing, and acting as miRNA sponges.
- circRNAs show tissue and stage-specific expression patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive review of current knowledge on circRNAs.
- To elucidate the pathological roles of circRNAs in ovarian cancer.
- To highlight the potential of circRNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets in ovarian cancer.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent studies on circRNAs and ovarian cancer.
- Analysis of molecular mechanisms underlying circRNA function in cancer.
- Synthesis of evidence regarding the association of circRNA dysregulation with ovarian cancer initiation and progression.
Main Results:
- Circular RNAs are critically involved in various cancer pathogenesis mechanisms, including angiogenesis, apoptosis, growth, and metastasis.
- In ovarian cancer, circRNAs specifically regulate cell proliferation.
- Deregulation of circRNAs is associated with the initiation and progression of ovarian cancer.
Conclusions:
- Circular RNAs are attractive molecules with significant implications in ovarian cancer.
- They hold potential as reliable cancer biomarkers for early detection and diagnosis.
- circRNAs represent promising candidates for developing novel therapeutic strategies against ovarian cancer.
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