Clinical Implications of Circulating Circular RNAs in Lung Cancer

Abstract

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are single-stranded RNAs with a covalently closed-loop structure that increases their stability; thus, they are more advantageous to use as liquid biopsy markers than linear RNAs. circRNAs are thought to be generated by back-splicing of pre-mRNA transcripts, which can be facilitated by reverse complementary sequences in the flanking introns and trans-acting factors, such as splicing regulatory factors and RNA-binding factors. circRNAs function as miRNA sponges, interact with target proteins, regulate the stability and translatability of other mRNAs, regulate gene expression, and produce microproteins. circRNAs are also found in the body fluids of cancer patients, including plasma, saliva, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid, and these “circulating circRNAs” can be used as cancer biomarkers. In lung cancer, some circulating circRNAs have been reported to regulate cancer progression and drug resistance. Circulating circRNAs have significant diagnostic value and are associated with the prognosis of lung cancer patients. Owing to their functional versatility, heightened stability, and practical applicability, circulating circRNAs represent promising biomarkers for lung cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment monitoring.

Overexpression of hsa_circ_0061817 Can Inhibit the Proliferation and Invasion of Lung Cancer Cells Based on Active Compounds

“…circRNA is a new type of noncoding RNA member composed of one or more spliced exons or introns, which has the characteristics of conservation, richness, and tissue specificity, so it may play a special molecular marker role in some diseases (such as tumors) [25]. circRNA can regulate gene expression by alternative splicing, regulating the expression of parental genes, and acting as a scaffold for protein complex assembly and RNA protein interaction and affect the occurrence and development of tumors [26,27]. Previous studies have found that hsa_circ_0061817 is closely related to nonsmall lung adenocarcinoma and has the potential as a biomarker for the prevention and diagnosis of nonsmall lung adenocarcinoma [28,29].…”

Serum Insights: Leveraging the Power of miRNA Profiling as an Early Diagnostic Tool for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

“…Circulating cell-free miRNAs (cf-miRNAs) have several advantages as diagnostic biomarkers for NSCLC, including stability, abundance, and specificity. Furthermore, cf-miRNAs can predict drug response by monitoring genetic profiles during treatment, presenting significant potential for personalized therapy [13,14].…”