Circular RNAs Interaction with MiRNAs: Emerging Roles in Breast Cancer

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Genetics

Background:

• Breast cancer remains a leading cause of cancer mortality globally, necessitating novel therapeutic and diagnostic strategies.
• Next-generation sequencing has revealed a new class of RNA molecules, circular RNAs (circRNAs), offering insights into cancer pathogenesis.
• Circular RNAs are stable, covalently closed RNA molecules derived from precursor mRNA back-splicing, primarily functioning as microRNA sponges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the biogenesis, characteristics, and functional mechanisms of circRNAs.
• To discuss the deregulation of circRNAs in various cancers.
• To focus on the role of circRNAs as microRNA sponges in breast cancer progression, including development, metastasis, angiogenesis, drug resistance, apoptosis, and immune response.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies on circRNA biogenesis, function, and roles in cancer.
• Analysis of evidence linking circRNA aberrant expression to cancer hallmarks.
• Focused review on circRNAs' function as miRNA sponges in breast cancer.

Main Results:

• Circular RNAs exhibit unique biogenesis and stable structures, primarily acting as miRNA sponges.
• Aberrant expression of circRNAs is associated with multiple hallmarks of cancer.
• circRNAs play significant roles in breast cancer development, metastasis, angiogenesis, drug resistance, apoptosis, and immune evasion.

Conclusions:

• Circular RNAs represent a promising area for understanding breast cancer etiology and developing biomarkers.
• Their function as miRNA sponges is a key mechanism underlying their involvement in breast cancer.
• Further research into circRNAs could lead to novel diagnostic and therapeutic interventions for breast cancer.