The emerging role of circular RNAs in breast cancer

Biosci Rep. 2019 Jun 25;39(6):BSR20190621. doi: 10.1042/BSR20190621. Print 2019 Jun 28.

Abstract

Breast cancer (BCa) is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers and leading cause of cancer deaths among females worldwide. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a new class of endogenous regulatory RNAs characterized by circular shape resulting from covalently closed continuous loops that are capable of regulating gene expression at transcription or post-transcription levels. With the unique structures, circRNAs are resistant to exonuclease RNase R and maintain stability more easily than linear RNAs. Recently, an increasing number of circRNAs are discovered and reported to show different expression in BCa and these dysregulated circRNAs were correlated with patients' clinical characteristics and grade in the progression of BCa. CircRNAs participate in the bioprocesses of carcinogenesis of BCa, including cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, tumorigenesis, vascularization, cell invasion, migration as well as metastasis. Here we concentrated on biogenesis and function of circRNAs, summarized their implications in BCa and discussed their potential as diagnostic and therapeutic targets for BCa.

Keywords: Breast cancer (BCa); biomarker; circRNA; miRNA sponge.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Apoptosis*
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Carcinogenesis / metabolism*
  • Carcinogenesis / pathology
  • Cell Cycle*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / metabolism*
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / pathology
  • RNA Stability
  • RNA, Circular / metabolism*
  • RNA, Neoplasm / metabolism*
  • Ribonuclease P / metabolism

Substances

  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • RNA, Circular
  • RNA, Neoplasm
  • Ribonuclease P