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Updated: Oct 22, 2025

In Silico Identification and Characterization of circRNAs During Host-Pathogen Interactions
Published on: October 21, 2022
Insights into the Evolving Roles of Circular RNAs in Cancer
Katherine Louise Harper1, Timothy James Mottram1, Adrian Whitehouse1
1Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.
Abstract:
The majority of RNAs transcribed from the human genome have no coding capacity and are termed non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). It is now widely accepted that ncRNAs play key roles in cell regulation and disease. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a form of ncRNA, characterised by a closed loop structure with roles as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs), protein interactors and transcriptional regulators. Functioning as key cellular regulators, dysregulated circRNAs have a significant impact on disease progression, particularly in cancer. Evidence is emerging of specific circRNAs having oncogenic or tumour suppressive properties. The multifaceted nature of circRNA function may additionally have merit as a novel therapeutic target, either in treatment or as a novel biomarker, due to their cell-and disease-state specific expression and long-term stability. This review aims to summarise current findings on how circRNAs are dysregulated in cancer, the effects this has on disease progression, and how circRNAs may be targeted or utilised as future potential therapeutic options.
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