Fu Liyun, Jiang Zhenluo, Li Tianwen, Hu Yaoren, Guo Junming
Department of Hepatology, Ningbo No. 2 Hospital, and the Affiliated Hospital, Medical School of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Medical School of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Cancer Med. 2018 Jul;7(7):3101-3109. doi: 10.1002/cam4.1574. Epub 2018 Jun 1.
At present, as hotspot members of the noncoding RNA network, circular RNAs (circRNAs) with distinct properties and diverse pathophysiological functions are being increasingly delineated. CircRNAs play roles at the epigenetic, transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulatory levels. Major studies have focused on their functions as efficient microRNA sponges. The validated number of endogenous circRNAs involved in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) continues to increase. Altered circRNA expression is associated with HCC occurrence, invasion, and metastasis. Moreover, the aberrant expression of circRNAs is also significantly related to HCC tumor stage, size, differentiation and metastasis. Because they are exceptionally stable, highly conserved and have tissue-specific expression patterns, some circRNAs, including hsa_circ_0004018, hsa_circ_0003570, and hsa_circ_0005075, may be potential markers for the diagnosis of HCC. We herein summarize the current knowledge of HCC-associated circRNAs and present their implications for carcinogenesis and their potential value as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Finally, we discuss the future directions of studies on HCC-associated circRNAs.
目前，作为非编码RNA网络的热点成员，具有独特性质和多样病理生理功能的环状RNA（circRNA）正越来越多地被揭示出来。circRNA在表观遗传、转录和转录后调控水平发挥作用。主要研究集中在它们作为高效微小RNA海绵的功能上。参与肝细胞癌（HCC）的内源性circRNA的验证数量持续增加。circRNA表达改变与HCC的发生、侵袭和转移有关。此外，circRNA的异常表达也与HCC肿瘤分期、大小、分化和转移显著相关。由于它们异常稳定、高度保守且具有组织特异性表达模式，一些circRNA，包括hsa_circ_0004018、hsa_circ_0003570和hsa_circ_0005075，可能是HCC诊断的潜在标志物。我们在此总结了目前关于HCC相关circRNA的知识，并阐述了它们在致癌作用中的意义以及作为诊断和预后生物标志物的潜在价值。最后，我们讨论了HCC相关circRNA研究的未来方向。
