Endocrinology Department, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730030, P.R. China.
The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730030, P.R. China.
Int J Mol Med. 2021 Nov;48(5). doi: 10.3892/ijmm.2021.5034. Epub 2021 Sep 16.
Thyroid cancer (TC) is the most common type of endocrine cancer. Over the last 50 years, the global incidence of TC has been increasing. The survival rate of TC is higher than that of most other types of cancer, but it depends on numerous factors, including the specific type of TC and stage of the disease. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a new class of long noncoding RNA with a closed loop structure that have a critical role in the complex gene regulatory network that controls the emergence of TC. The most important function of circRNAs is their ability to specifically bind to microRNAs. In addition, the biological functions of circRNAs also include interactions with proteins, regulation of the transcription of genes and acting as translation templates. Based on the characteristics of circRNAs, they have been identified as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of tumors. In the present review, the function and significance of circRNAs and their potential clinical implications for TC were summarized. Furthermore, possible treatment approaches involving the use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and exosomes derived from MSCs as carriers to load and transport circRNAs were discussed.
甲状腺癌（TC）是最常见的内分泌癌类型。在过去的 50 年中，全球 TC 的发病率一直在增加。TC 的存活率高于大多数其他类型的癌症，但这取决于许多因素，包括 TC 的具体类型和疾病阶段。环状 RNA（circRNA）是一类具有封闭环结构的新型长非编码 RNA，在控制 TC 发生的复杂基因调控网络中具有重要作用。circRNA 的最重要功能是能够特异性结合 microRNA。此外，circRNA 的生物学功能还包括与蛋白质的相互作用、基因转录的调节以及作为翻译模板的作用。基于 circRNA 的特征，它们已被确定为肿瘤诊断的潜在生物标志物。在本综述中，总结了 circRNA 的功能和意义及其在 TC 中的潜在临床意义。此外，还讨论了涉及使用间充质干细胞（MSC）和 MSC 衍生的外泌体作为载体来装载和运输 circRNA 的可能治疗方法。
