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Circular RNAs: Epigenetic regulators of PTEN expression and function in cancer

Mohammad-Mojtaba Farazi1, Saeideh Jafarinejad-Farsangi2, Zahra Miri Karam3

  • 1Student Research Committee, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.

Gene
|April 6, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are emerging epigenetic regulators influencing phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) expression. Understanding circRNA-PTEN interactions offers new therapeutic avenues for cancer treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • Epigenetic regulation controls gene expression without altering DNA sequence, impacting cellular processes and diseases like cancer.
  • Epigenetics encompasses DNA methylation, histone modification, and regulatory non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs).
  • Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of ncRNAs recently identified as significant epigenetic regulators.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the regulatory role of circRNAs in controlling phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) expression.
  • To elucidate the function of PTEN, a crucial tumor suppressor, in cancer pathways.
  • To explore novel therapeutic strategies targeting circRNA-PTEN interactions in cancer.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on circRNAs and PTEN.
  • Analysis of circRNA regulation at transcriptional, post-transcriptional, translational, and post-translational levels.
  • Examination of the PI3K/AKT pathway's role in cancer and PTEN's involvement.

Main Results:

  • CircRNAs modulate PTEN expression through multiple regulatory mechanisms.
  • PTEN acts as a tumor suppressor by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT pathway, crucial for cancer cell proliferation and survival.
  • Significant research highlights the intricate relationship between circRNAs and PTEN in oncogenesis.

Conclusions:

  • CircRNAs represent a vital component of epigenetic regulation impacting PTEN.
  • Understanding circRNA-PTEN interactions is key to deciphering PTEN's tumor-suppressive functions.
  • Targeting circRNA-PTEN pathways holds promise for developing innovative cancer therapies.
Keywords:
CancerEpigeneticsPI3K/AKTPTENcircular RNAsmiRNAsnon-coding-RNAs

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