Department of Pharmacology, School of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.
Department of Clinical Nursing, School of Nursing, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.
Cell Cycle. 2023 Mar;22(5):527-541. doi: 10.1080/15384101.2022.2133365. Epub 2022 Oct 13.
Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease, which leads to atherosclerotic rupture, lumen stenosis and thrombosis, and often endangers life. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a special class of non-coding RNA molecules, whose abnormal expression has been proved to be closely related to human diseases, including AS. Both the abnormal regulation of circRNAs and the sponging effect on miRNAs would lead to changes in gene expression in the form of epigenetic modification, ultimately leading to the formation of AS. CircRNAs can be used as peripheral blood markers of AS, and play an important regulatory role in the proliferation, migration, inflammation and apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells, endothelial cells and macrophage, which are key cells for the development of AS. The in-depth understanding of circRNAs in AS not only provides a new method for the diagnosis of AS, but also provides a new idea for the treatment of AS.
动脉粥样硬化（AS）是一种慢性炎症性疾病，可导致动脉粥样硬化破裂、管腔狭窄和血栓形成，常危及生命。环状 RNA（circRNAs）是一类特殊的非编码 RNA 分子，其异常表达已被证明与包括 AS 在内的人类疾病密切相关。circRNAs 的异常调控和对 miRNA 的海绵作用都会导致基因表达以表观遗传修饰的形式发生变化，最终导致 AS 的形成。circRNAs 可作为 AS 的外周血标志物，在动脉粥样硬化发展过程中，对血管平滑肌细胞、内皮细胞和巨噬细胞的增殖、迁移、炎症和凋亡发挥重要的调控作用。深入了解 circRNAs 在 AS 中的作用不仅为 AS 的诊断提供了新方法，也为 AS 的治疗提供了新思路。
