Central Laboratory, Shenzhen Longhua Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital, Shenzhen, 518109, China.
Forevergen Biosciences Centre, Guangzhou International Biotech Island, Guangzhou, 510300, China.
Cell Death Dis. 2023 Jun 9;14(6):353. doi: 10.1038/s41419-023-05881-2.
Globally, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most prevalent cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are single-stranded RNA with covalently closed-loop structures and are highly stable, conserved, and abundantly expressed in various organs and tissues. Recent research found abnormal circRNA expression in CRC patients' blood/serum, cells, CRC tissues, and exosomes. Furthermore, mounting data demonstrated that circRNAs are crucial to the development of CRC. CircRNAs have been shown to exert biological functions by acting as microRNA sponges, RNA-binding protein sponges, regulators of gene splicing and transcription, and protein/peptide translators. These characteristics make circRNAs potential markers for CRC diagnosis and prognosis, potential therapeutic targets, and circRNA-based therapies. However, further studies are still necessary to improve the understanding of the roles and biological mechanisms of circRNAs in the development of CRC. In this review, up-to-date research on the role of circRNAs in CRC was examined, focusing on their potential application in CRC diagnosis and targeted therapy, which would advance the knowledge of the functions of circRNAs in the development and progression of CRC.
在全球范围内，结直肠癌（CRC）是第三大常见癌症，也是癌症相关死亡的第二大主要原因。环状 RNA（circRNA）是具有共价闭环结构的单链 RNA，在各种器官和组织中高度稳定、保守且大量表达。最近的研究发现 CRC 患者的血液/血清、细胞、CRC 组织和外泌体中存在异常的 circRNA 表达。此外，越来越多的数据表明 circRNA 对 CRC 的发展至关重要。circRNA 通过充当 microRNA 海绵、RNA 结合蛋白海绵、基因剪接和转录调节剂以及蛋白质/肽转译器来发挥生物学功能。这些特征使 circRNA 成为 CRC 诊断和预后的潜在标志物、潜在的治疗靶点以及基于 circRNA 的治疗方法。然而，仍需要进一步的研究来提高对 circRNA 在 CRC 发展中的作用和生物学机制的理解。在这篇综述中，我们检查了 circRNA 在 CRC 中的最新研究，重点关注它们在 CRC 诊断和靶向治疗中的潜在应用，这将推进我们对 circRNA 在 CRC 发展和进展中的功能的认识。
