Circular RNAs (circRNAs) in cancer

Ruoyu Zhou; Yuwei Wu; Wenxi Wang; Wenjia Su; Yicong Liu; Yumin Wang; Chunmei Fan; Xiaoling Li; Guiyuan Li; Yong Li; Wei Xiong; Zhaoyang Zeng

doi:10.1016/j.canlet.2018.03.035

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) in cancer

Cancer Lett. 2018 Jul 1:425:134-142. doi: 10.1016/j.canlet.2018.03.035. Epub 2018 Apr 3.

Authors

Ruoyu Zhou¹, Yuwei Wu¹, Wenxi Wang², Wenjia Su², Yicong Liu², Yumin Wang¹, Chunmei Fan³, Xiaoling Li⁴, Guiyuan Li⁴, Yong Li⁵, Wei Xiong⁶, Zhaoyang Zeng⁷

Affiliations

¹ The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis of the Chinese Ministry of Health, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
² The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis of the Chinese Ministry of Health, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
³ The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
⁴ The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis of the Chinese Ministry of Health, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, Disease Genome Research Center, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
⁵ The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Department of Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
⁶ The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis of the Chinese Ministry of Health, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, Disease Genome Research Center, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. Electronic address: xiongwei@csu.edu.cn.
⁷ The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis of the Chinese Ministry of Health, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, Disease Genome Research Center, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. Electronic address: zengzhaoyang@csu.edu.cn.

PMID: 29625140
DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2018.03.035

Abstract

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of non-coding RNAs that do not have 5' end caps or 3' end poly (A) tails. There are more than one hundred thousand genes that encode circRNAs. Clinical data show that there are differences in the expression of circRNAs in a variety of diseases, including cancer, suggesting that circRNA has a regulatory effect on some diseases. Further studies reveal that circRNA can be used as an endogenous competitive RNA, thereby regulating the proliferation, invasion or other physiological activities of tumor cells. In addition, some circRNAs located in the nucleus can regulate the transcription of the parental gene by binding to RNA polymerase II. circRNA can also combine with proteins to influence the cell cycle. Furthermore, recent studies have shown that circRNA can encode proteins, similarly to mRNA. circRNAs are found extensively in human cells and have tissue specificity. They have the potential to be used in clinical applications as tumor markers and therapeutic targets.

Keywords: Cancer; Regulation; Sponge; circRNAs.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics
Cell Movement
Cell Nucleus / genetics*
Cell Proliferation
Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
Humans
Neoplasms / genetics*
Organ Specificity
RNA / genetics*
RNA, Circular
RNA, Messenger / genetics*

Substances

Biomarkers, Tumor
RNA, Circular
RNA, Messenger
RNA