Circular RNAs in colorectal cancer: Possible roles in regulation of cancer cells

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world and the fourth principal cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Currently, there is a lack of low cost and noninvasive screening tests for CRC, becoming a serious health problem. In this context, a potential biomarker for the early detection of CRC has recently gained attention. Circular RNAs (circRNA), a re-discovered, abundant RNA specie, is a type of noncoding covalent closed RNAs formed from both exonic and intronic sequences. These circular molecules are widely expressed in cells, exceeding the abundance of the traditional linear mRNA transcript. They can regulate gene expression, acting as real sponges for miRNAs and also regulate alternative splicing or act as transcriptional factors and inclusive encoding for proteins. However, little is known about circRNA and its relationship with CRC. In this review, we focus on the biogenesis, function and role of these circRNAs in relation to CRC, including their potential as a new biomarker.

Circular RNA; a new biomarker for breast cancer: A systematic review

“…Recent studies demonstrate that circRNAs dysregulation is intimately associated with human disorders, as they are aberrantly expressed in colorectal cancer (CRC; Taborda, Ramírez, & Bernal, 2017), gastric cancer (P. Li et al, 2015), basal cell carcinoma (Sand et al, 2016), and reproductive system cancers, such as ovarian cancer fibrosis (Bachmayr‐Heyda et al, 2015).…”

Extracellular nanovesicles‐transmitted circular RNA has_circ_0000190 suppresses osteosarcoma progression

“…4 The exact mechanisms where osteosarcoma develops and progresses are unclear none the less, so determining the molecular development mechanism of osteosarcoma becomes the top priority for diagnosing and treating the disease. 9 Research has manifested that circRNAs are found in cancer cells and show abnormal expressions in such epithelial cancers as lung cancer, 10 gastric cancer 11 and osteosarcoma. 6 Despite over 40 years of investigation on circRNAs, 7 little attention has been paid to them until recently.…”

Circular RNA hsa_circ_0000567 can be used as a promising diagnostic biomarker for human colorectal cancer

“…As is known, ncRNAs, such as miRNAs, lncRNAs are involved in the development and progression of CRC . However, as a novel identified ncRNAs, the relationship between circRNAs and CRC development is still unknown …”