Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
J Cell Physiol. 2021 Oct;236(10):7223-7241. doi: 10.1002/jcp.30376. Epub 2021 Apr 20.
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are endogenous noncoding RNAs with unique cyclic structures. Although they were previously considered as nonfunctional transcription byproducts, numerous studies have demonstrated that circRNAs regulate gene transcription and expression via different mechanisms. Reproductive health influences the quality of life and affects offspring propagation in women. CircRNAs have been found to modify pregnancy-related diseases, gynecologic cancers, polycystic ovary syndrome, aging, gamete, and embryo development. It's promising for circRNAs to be the novel diagnostic and therapeutic targets for multiple reproductive diseases. With the widespread application of assisted reproduction technology (ART), it has been revealed that circRNA identification contributes to estimating the quality of gametes and embryos, reflecting the success rate of ART. CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology has enabled the discovery of new roles of circRNAs. So far, the roles of circRNAs in the reproductive system remain poorly defined. In this review, we describe the classification and functions of circRNAs in embryogenesis and the female reproductive system diseases, revealing potential roles of circRNAs physiologically and pathologically. In so-doing, we provide ideas for developing circRNA-based therapeutic treatment and clinical application of various female reproductive system diseases.
环状 RNA（circRNAs）是具有独特环状结构的内源性非编码 RNA。尽管它们以前被认为是无功能的转录副产物，但大量研究表明，circRNAs 通过不同的机制调节基因转录和表达。生殖健康影响生活质量，并影响女性后代的繁殖。circRNAs 已被发现可调节与妊娠相关的疾病、妇科癌症、多囊卵巢综合征、衰老、配子和胚胎发育。circRNAs 有望成为多种生殖疾病的新型诊断和治疗靶点。随着辅助生殖技术（ART）的广泛应用，已经揭示了 circRNA 的鉴定有助于评估配子和胚胎的质量，反映 ART 的成功率。CRISPR-Cas9 基因编辑技术使 circRNAs 的新作用得以发现。到目前为止，circRNAs 在生殖系统中的作用仍未得到很好的定义。在这篇综述中，我们描述了 circRNAs 在胚胎发生和女性生殖系统疾病中的分类和功能，揭示了 circRNAs 在生理和病理条件下的潜在作用。这样做为开发基于 circRNA 的治疗方法和治疗各种女性生殖系统疾病的临床应用提供了思路。
