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Updated: Jul 6, 2025

In Silico Identification and Characterization of circRNAs During Host-Pathogen Interactions
10:27

In Silico Identification and Characterization of circRNAs During Host-Pathogen Interactions

Published on: October 21, 2022

1.6K

Integrated whole transcriptome profiling revealed a convoluted circular RNA-based competing endogenous RNAs

Hasan Mollanoori1, Yaser Ghelmani2, Bita Hassani3

  • 1Medical Genetics Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.

Scientific Reports
|January 3, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) regulate gene expression in cancer. This study identifies colorectal cancer-related circRNAs and their regulatory networks, revealing potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Bioinformatics

Background:

  • Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are increasingly recognized for their roles in cancer development.
  • circRNAs can function as miRNA sponges, influencing gene expression and impacting cancer initiation and progression.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify circRNAs associated with colorectal cancer (CRC).
  • To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of circRNA/miRNA/mRNA networks in CRC pathogenesis.
  • To discover potential biomarkers for CRC diagnosis and treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of differentially expressed circRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs from GEO microarray datasets.
  • Construction of circRNA/miRNA/mRNA ceRNA networks using Cytoscape.
  • Functional enrichment analysis, survival analysis, and ROC curve analysis using TCGA and GEO data.

Main Results:

  • Identified 23 upregulated and 31 downregulated circRNAs in CRC.
  • Constructed complex ceRNA networks, highlighting specific circRNAs (hsa_circ_0001955, hsa_circ_0071681).
  • Identified a ceRNA sub-network implicating these circRNAs in regulating survival-related genes (KLF4, MYC, CCNA2, RACGAP1, CD44).

Conclusions:

  • A comprehensive regulatory network in CRC was established.
  • The identified circRNAs and their networks offer potential for novel CRC diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic strategies.

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