CircRNAs open a new era in the study of cardiovascular disease (Review)

Abstract

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are non-coding RNAs that are found in the cytoplasm or stored in the exosomes, where they are not affected by RNA exonucleases. CircRNAs are widely expressed in mammalian tissues and cells. A number of studies have suggested that circRNAs are associated with the physiology and pathology of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Therefore, circRNAs have been considered as effector molecules and biomarkers in the cardiovascular system. The present review article summarizes the biological origin and roles of circRNAs as well as the available databases and research methods for their identification. Furthermore, it describes their regulatory mechanisms in cardiovascular physiology and pathology, including the regulation of atherosclerosis, immunity, cell proliferation, apoptosis and autophagy. In addition, the current review discusses the unresolved problems in circRNA research and the application of circRNAs in the treatment of CVDs. Finally, the CVD-associated circRNAs are also reviewed.

Circular RNA Expression Profiles and Bioinformatic Analysis in Mouse Models of Obstructive Sleep Apnea-Induced Cardiac Injury: Novel Insights Into Pathogenesis

“…Mounting evidence has shown that circRNAs have emerged as a novel special class of endogenous noncoding RNAs. To date, more and more studies have reported strong associations between circRNAs and cardiovascular disease ( Li et al, 2020 ; Zhang and Wang, 2020 ; Yu et al, 2021 ). What is more, circRNAs can regulate parent gene expression or function as miRNA sponges to affect disease initiation and progression.…”

Roles and mechanisms of exosomal non-coding RNAs in human health and diseases

“…A few studies have found an association between exosomal circRNAs and the pathogenesis of AS. 444 , 445 Wen et al suggested that the expression of exosomal circRNA‑0006896 in circulation is positively associated with the levels of TG, LDL, and C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients with unstable plaque atherosclerosis. 445 The study also reported that the elevated circulating exosomal circRNA‑0006896 leads to high expression of circRNA‑0006896 in ECs, which results in an increases in capacities of proliferation and migration in ECs.…”

Stem cell-derived exosomal transcriptomes for wound healing

“…It has been reported that the sorting of circRNAs to exosomes can be controlled by modulating the levels of relevant miRNAs in parental cells and can transfer bioactive substance to target cells (55). It has been confirmed that circRNAs could exert biological functions in multiple aspects, including participating in neuronal development (56) and the pathogenesis of cancer, cardiovascular, neurological, and autoimmune diseases (57)(58)(59)(60). In addition, circRNAs serve as potential biomarkers for many diseases (61), especially cancer (62).…”