The crosstalk between alternative splicing and circular RNA in cancer: pathogenic insights and therapeutic...

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Cancer Biology
• Gene Expression Regulation

Background:

• Alternative splicing (AS) generates diverse RNA variants from a single gene.
• Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are formed through a specific type of AS called back-splicing.
• Both AS and circRNA biogenesis are altered in cancer, impacting cellular function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the intricate relationship between alternative splicing and circular RNAs in cancer.
• To summarize how splicing factors and RNA-binding proteins regulate circRNA biogenesis.
• To elucidate how circRNAs influence alternative splicing events and contribute to oncogenesis.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies investigating the crosstalk between AS and circRNAs in cancer.
• Analysis of regulatory mechanisms involving splicing factors, RNA-binding proteins, and epigenetic modifications.
• Synthesis of current knowledge on the feedback loops between circRNAs and AS in cancer progression.

Main Results:

• AS modulates circRNA biogenesis, and circRNAs, in turn, regulate AS events.
• Epigenetic and posttranscriptional modifications concurrently influence both AS and circRNAs.
• The feedback loop between circRNAs and AS significantly contributes to oncogenesis and cancer progression.

Conclusions:

• Understanding the crosstalk between AS and circRNAs provides crucial insights into cancer biology.
• Targeting the AS-circRNA axis offers potential novel strategies for cancer therapy.