The roles of cirRNA in the development of germ cells

Yaqin Cai; Xiaocan Lei; Zhuo Chen; Zhongcheng Mo

doi:10.1016/j.acthis.2020.151506

The roles of cirRNA in the development of germ cells

Acta Histochem. 2020 Apr;122(3):151506. doi: 10.1016/j.acthis.2020.151506. Epub 2020 Jan 31.

Authors

Yaqin Cai¹, Xiaocan Lei², Zhuo Chen³, Zhongcheng Mo⁴

Affiliations

¹ Clinical Anatomy & Reproductive Medicine Application Institute, Department of Histology and Embryology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China; Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Center for Diabetic Systems Medicine (Guangxi Key Laboratory of Excellence), Guilin Medical University, Guangxi, Guilin, 541100, China.
² Clinical Anatomy & Reproductive Medicine Application Institute, Department of Histology and Embryology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China.
³ Hunan Province Innovative Training Base for Medical Postgraduates, University of South China and Yueyang Women & Children's Medical Center, Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Yueyang, Hunan, 416000, China.
⁴ Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Center for Diabetic Systems Medicine (Guangxi Key Laboratory of Excellence), Guilin Medical University, Guangxi, Guilin, 541100, China; Hunan Province Innovative Training Base for Medical Postgraduates, University of South China and Yueyang Women & Children's Medical Center, Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Yueyang, Hunan, 416000, China. Electronic address: zhchmo@hotmail.com.

PMID: 32008790
DOI: 10.1016/j.acthis.2020.151506

Abstract

Circular RNA (CircRNA), a type of endogenous non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), is generally generated from precursor mRNA (pre-mRNA) by canonical splicing and head-to-tail back splicing. The structure without a polyA tail renders circRNA highly insensitive to ribonuclease. Simultaneously, the distribution of circRNAs is tissue and developmental stage-specific. There are five potential biological functions of circRNAs: 1) promote transcription of their parental genes; 2) function as a miRNA sponge; 3) RNA binding protein (RBP) sponge; 4) encode protein; 5) act as an mRNA trap. Recently, circRNA has attracted attention because studies have shown that circRNAs are associated with follicular development, ovarian senescence, spermatogenesis, and germ cell development process, suggesting that circRNAs may function in germ cells regulation. The investigation of circRNAs in germ cells will provide an excellent opportunity to understand its potential molecular basis, and potentially improving reproduction status in human. In this article, the relationship between circRNA and germ cell development will be discussed.

Keywords: Follicular development; Ovarian senescence; Spermatogenesis; circRNA.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Cell-Free Nucleic Acids / genetics*
Cell-Free Nucleic Acids / physiology
Female
Germ Cells / physiology*
Humans
Male
Ovarian Follicle / growth & development
Ovary / growth & development
Spermatogenesis / genetics
Spermatogenesis / physiology

Substances

Cell-Free Nucleic Acids