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Updated: Sep 9, 2025
Identification of Circular RNAs using RNA Sequencing
Published on: November 14, 2019
Circular RNAs as Novel Biomarkers and Application in Cardiovascular Diseases
Diego Franco1,2, Fernando Bonet3,4
1Cardiovascular Research Group, Department of Experimental Biology, University of Jaen, Jaen, Spain. dfranco@ujaen.es.
Insights
Cardiovascular diseases urgently need better early detection. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) show promise as sensitive, noninvasive biomarkers for diagnosing these conditions in liquid biopsies.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Cardiology
Background:
- Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading global cause of mortality.
- Current diagnostic methods, including electrocardiograms and invasive procedures, have limitations in sensitivity, specificity, and early-stage detection.
- There is a critical need for novel, noninvasive biomarkers for early CVD diagnosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current identification and application of circular RNAs (circRNAs) as biomarkers in cardiovascular diseases.
- To highlight the potential of circRNAs as sensitive and specific noninvasive diagnostic tools.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies identifying circRNAs in various cardiovascular pathological conditions.
- Analysis of circRNA stability and detectability in liquid biopsies.
- Evaluation of circRNAs as potential diagnostic biomarkers for early-stage cardiovascular diseases.
Main Results:
- Noncoding RNAs, particularly circRNAs, are dysregulated in cardiovascular diseases.
- circRNAs are highly stable and readily detectable in liquid biopsies, making them suitable for clinical diagnosis.
- Emerging evidence supports circRNAs as promising biomarkers for distinct cardiovascular pathological conditions.
Conclusions:
- circRNAs represent a novel class of biomarkers with significant potential for the early, noninvasive diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases.
- Further research into circRNAs could lead to improved diagnostic strategies and patient outcomes for cardiovascular conditions.
Abstract:
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide in the human population. Currently, both noninvasive and invasive conventional diagnostic methods are used in cardiovascular diseases. Noninvasive techniques such as electrocardiogram are widely accepted; yet, it is hindered by poor sensitivity and specificity. On the other hand, invasive examinations such as coronary arteriography and intravascular ultrasound are not resolute enough during the early stages of cardiovascular pathological changes. Consequently, there is an urgent need to identify noninvasive biomarkers that are highly sensitive, specific, and effective for the early-stage diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases. Noncoding RNAs have recently emerged as a novel layer of gene regulation, and their expression is widely impaired in pathological conditions, including cardiovascular diseases. In this context, circRNAs are highly stable molecules that are easy detectable in liquid biopsies, thus providing as good candidate for clinical diagnosis. Within this section, we provide a state-of-the art review of the current identification of circRNAs as biomarkers in distinct cardiovascular pathological conditions.
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