The Role of Circular RNA in the Progression of Gliomas and Its Potential Clinical Applications

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are single-stranded noncoding RNAs with a covalently closed loop structure. They are known for their stability, abundance, and highly conserved nature. Their expression is often specific to tissues or developmental stages. They interact with microRNAs (miRNAs) and RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and they undergo N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A) modifications, further affecting gene transcription and translation. Increasing evidence over the past decades has revealed that dysregulated circRNA expression is associated with various neurological disorders, particularly the glioma, one of the most malignant tumors with a poor prognosis. Due to the presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and drug resistance, conventional therapeutic approaches have shown limited efficacy. Recently, increasing attention has been directed toward precisely targeted therapies, with circRNAs emerging as promising molecules for cancer treatment. Studies indicate that circRNAs play a key role in glioma proliferation and metastasis. Substantial evidence indicates that exosomes can package circRNAs and facilitate their transport across the BBB into brain tissue, highlighting the potential of circRNAs as therapeutic targets for glioma. This review summarizes circRNAs' functional mechanisms, clinical application relevance, and current limitations. It offers future research directions in this evolving field, aiming to encourage further research on circRNAs' therapeutic applications and contribute to the development of novel glioma-treatment strategies.