Circular RNA in tumor metastasis

Chao Zhang; RongFang Ding; YiCheng Sun; Si Tong Huo; Alina He; Chang Wen; HongHao Chen; William W Du; WeiNan Lai; Huijun Wang

doi:10.1016/j.omtn.2021.01.032

Circular RNA in tumor metastasis

Mol Ther Nucleic Acids. 2021 Feb 4:23:1243-1257. doi: 10.1016/j.omtn.2021.01.032. eCollection 2021 Mar 5.

Authors

Chao Zhang^{1

2

3}, RongFang Ding⁴, YiCheng Sun^{1

2}, Si Tong Huo^{5

6}, Alina He^{3

7}, Chang Wen^{1

2}, HongHao Chen^{1

2}, William W Du^{3

7}, WeiNan Lai⁸, Huijun Wang²

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.
² Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nanhai Hospital, Southern Medical University, Foshan 510000, Guangdong Province, China.
³ Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada.
⁴ Department of Pediatrics, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510000, Guangdong Province, China.
⁵ Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada.
⁶ School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
⁷ Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada.
⁸ Department of Rheumatology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong Province, China 510515.

Abstract

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a type of endogenous non-coding RNA that were discovered to regulate gene expression through multiple pathways. Metastasis remains one of the biggest obstacles in cancer treatment. In this review, we focus on circRNAs involved in cancer tumorigenesis and metastasis. We present recently identified tumor-related circRNAs and discuss their functioning in tumor progression and metastasis. These circRNAs are categorized into different functional mechanisms, including microRNA (miRNA) sponging, protein binding, regulation of host genes, translation of circRNAs, and exosomal circRNAs. Additionally, the indirect functions of circRNAs that regulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition and autophagy are also discussed.

Keywords: cancer; circular RNA; gene regulation; metastasis.

Publication types

Review