The role of circular RNAs in hematological malignancies

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) that lack a 5' end cap or a 3' end poly-(A) tail and form a circular structure through covalent bonds. Compared to linear RNAs, circRNAs are more conservative and stable, and their distribution is spatiotemporally regulated. circRNAs, as a new type of competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA), are involved in many disease processes and are also related to the occurrence and development of tumors. Over the past three years, the role of circRNAs in hematological malignancies has received increasing attention. Related research has shown that circRNAs may regulate the occurrence and development of hematological malignancies and contribute to drug resistance through a variety of molecular mechanisms. Therefore, to lay the foundation and point out directions for further research on circRNAs, this article systematically reviews the research progress on circRNAs in leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma.