Circular RNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma: Recent advances
Zhao-Shan Niu, Wenhong Wang
Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have covalently closed loop structures at both ends, exhibiting characteristics dissimilar to those of linear RNAs. Emerging evidence suggests that aberrantly expressed circRNAs play crucial roles in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by affecting the proliferation, apoptosis and invasive capacity of HCC cells. Certain circRNAs may be used as biomarkers to diagnose and predict the prognosis of HCC. Therefore, circRNAs are expected to become novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for HCC. Herein, we briefly review the characteristics and biological functions of circRNAs, focusing on their roles in HCC to provide new insights for the early diagnosis and targeted therapy of HCC.
Topics & Concepts
Hepatocellular carcinomaMedicineCircular RNAComputational biologyCancer researchmicroRNABioinformaticsBiologyGeneGeneticsCircular RNAs in diseasesMicroRNA in disease regulationCancer-related molecular mechanisms research