Circular RNAs function as competing endogenous RNAs in multiple types of cancer.

ABSTRACT: Circular (circ)RNAs, naturally formed endogenous non-coding RNAs, have received extensive attention in recent years due to their special loop structures and specific function. circRNAs are formed with covalently closed continuous loops and are mainly generated by back-splicing processes or lariat introns from exons and/or introns. Usually, circRNAs are stable, abundant, and evolutionarily conserved in the cytoplasm. circRNAs often exhibit abnormal expression in different diseases, notably in human cancers, and the presence of abundant circRNAs in serum, saliva and exosomes renders them potential diagnostic or predictive biomarkers for diseases, including multiple types of cancer. Presently, certain circRNAs have been reported to function as microRNA sponges and RNA-binding protein sponges

SUBMITTER: Ji Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5768103 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature