Rapid Development of Targeting circRNAs in Cardiovascular Diseases

Chao Zhang; Si Tong Huo; Zhiyong Wu; Lina Chen; Chang Wen; Honghao Chen; William W Du; Nan Wu; Daogang Guan; Sen Lian; Burton B Yang

doi:10.1016/j.omtn.2020.06.022

Rapid Development of Targeting circRNAs in Cardiovascular Diseases

Mol Ther Nucleic Acids. 2020 Sep 4:21:568-576. doi: 10.1016/j.omtn.2020.06.022. Epub 2020 Jun 27.

Authors

Chao Zhang¹, Si Tong Huo², Zhiyong Wu³, Lina Chen⁴, Chang Wen⁵, Honghao Chen⁶, William W Du⁷, Nan Wu⁷, Daogang Guan⁸, Sen Lian⁹, Burton B Yang¹⁰

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Science, Southern Medical University and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Single Cell Technology and Application, Guangzhou 510000, Guangdong Province, China; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nanhai Hospital, Southern Medical University, Foshan 510000, Guangdong Province, China; Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada. Electronic address: zhangchao1558@126.com.
² Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada.
³ College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510000, Guangdong Province, China.
⁴ Basic Medical College, Xiangnan University, Chenzhou 523000, China.
⁵ Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330000, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China.
⁶ Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Science, Southern Medical University and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Single Cell Technology and Application, Guangzhou 510000, Guangdong Province, China; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nanhai Hospital, Southern Medical University, Foshan 510000, Guangdong Province, China.
⁷ Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada.
⁸ Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Science, Southern Medical University and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Single Cell Technology and Application, Guangzhou 510000, Guangdong Province, China.
⁹ Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Science, Southern Medical University and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Single Cell Technology and Application, Guangzhou 510000, Guangdong Province, China. Electronic address: senlian@i.smu.edu.cn.
¹⁰ Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada. Electronic address: byang@sri.utoronto.ca.

Abstract

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are circularized, single-stranded RNAs that are covalently linked. With their abundance in tissues and developmental stage-specific expression, circRNAs participate in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. In this review, we discuss the development of circRNAs used as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), focusing on recent discoveries and applications of exosomal circRNAs that highlight opportunities and challenges. Some studies have identified a spectrum of circRNAs that are differentially expressed in CVDs, while other studies further manipulated specific circRNA expression and showed an ameliorated pathogenic state such as ischemic injury, hypertrophy, and cardiac fibrosis. Studies and applications of circRNAs are being rapidly developed. We expect to see clinical use of circRNAs as biomarkers and targets for disease treatment in the near future.

Publication types

Review