Open Access

Circular RNAs: Crucial regulators in the human body (Review)

  • Authors:
    • Yuanyong Wang
    • Tong Lu
    • Qian Wang
    • Jia Liu
    • Wenjie Jiao
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: September 25, 2018     https://doi.org/10.3892/or.2018.6733
  • Pages: 3119-3135
  • Copyright: © Wang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) belong to a new type of endogenous non‑coding RNAs (ncRNAs) that are derived from exons and/or introns, and are widely distributed in mammals. The majority of circRNAs have a specific expression profile in cells or tissues, as well as during different stages of development. CircRNAs were originally thought to be the products of mis‑splicing. However, with the assistance of bioinformatics tools and the rapid development of high‑throughput sequencing, an increasing body of evidence has suggested that circRNAs bind micro(mi)RNAs, and have a role as miRNA sponges, thereby regulating target mRNA splicing and transcription. Human diseases are closely associated with circRNAs, especially in cancer as their expression is typically altered during the progression of cancer; this may provide a novel type of biomarker for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. CircRNAs are becoming a key area of interest within the field of cancer research. In the present review, we summarize the known molecular mechanisms and biological origin of circRNAs, as well as their functions, especially those related to human tumors.
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December-2018
Volume 40 Issue 6

Print ISSN: 1021-335X
Online ISSN:1791-2431

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Copy and paste a formatted citation
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Spandidos Publications style
Wang Y, Lu T, Wang Q, Liu J and Jiao W: Circular RNAs: Crucial regulators in the human body (Review). Oncol Rep 40: 3119-3135, 2018
APA
Wang, Y., Lu, T., Wang, Q., Liu, J., & Jiao, W. (2018). Circular RNAs: Crucial regulators in the human body (Review). Oncology Reports, 40, 3119-3135. https://doi.org/10.3892/or.2018.6733
MLA
Wang, Y., Lu, T., Wang, Q., Liu, J., Jiao, W."Circular RNAs: Crucial regulators in the human body (Review)". Oncology Reports 40.6 (2018): 3119-3135.
Chicago
Wang, Y., Lu, T., Wang, Q., Liu, J., Jiao, W."Circular RNAs: Crucial regulators in the human body (Review)". Oncology Reports 40, no. 6 (2018): 3119-3135. https://doi.org/10.3892/or.2018.6733