Circular RNAs in Cancer: Emerging Functions in Hallmarks, Stemness, Resistance and Roles As Potential Biomarkers

Overview

Journal Mol Cancer

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialties Molecular Biology
Oncology

Date 2019 Apr 20

PMID 30999909

Citations 205

Authors

Min Su

Yuhang Xiao

Junliang Ma

Yanyan Tang

Bo Tian

Yuqin Zhang

Xu Li

Zhining Wu

Desong Yang

Yong Zhou

Hui Wang

Qianjin Liao

Wenxiang Wang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of RNA molecules with closed loops and high stability. CircRNAs are abundantly expressed in eukaryotic organisms and exhibit both location- and step-specificity. In recent years, circRNAs are attracting considerable research attention attributed to their possible contributions to gene regulation through a variety of actions, including sponging microRNAs, interacting with RNA-binding proteins, regulating transcription and splicing, and protein translation. Growing evidence has revealed that circRNAs play critical roles in the development and progression of diseases, especially in cancers. Without doubt, expanding our understanding of circRNAs will enrich knowledge of cancer and provide new opportunities for cancer therapy. In this review, we provide an overview of the characteristics, functions and functional mechanisms of circRNAs. In particular, we summarize current knowledge regarding the functions of circRNAs in the hallmarks, stemness, resistance of cancer, as well as the possibility of circRNAs as biomarkers in cancer.

Citing Articles

HAS-CIRCpedia-5280 sponges miR-4712-5p inhibited colon cancer autophagyinduced by human beta-defensin-1.

An S, Cui J, Yang W, Zhang M, Yu H, Lu J J Transl Med. 2025; 23(1):281.

PMID: 40050987 PMC: 11883960. DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05860-x.

Long non-coding RNAs in humans: Classification, genomic organization and function.

Chodurska B, Kunej T Noncoding RNA Res. 2025; 11:313-327.

PMID: 39967600 PMC: 11833636. DOI: 10.1016/j.ncrna.2025.01.004.

Circular RNAs in cancer stem cells: Insights into their roles and mechanisms (Review).

Yang L, Yi Y, Mei Z, Huang D, Tang S, Hu L Int J Mol Med. 2025; 55(3).

PMID: 39930823 PMC: 11781527. DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2025.5491.

Circular RNAs in cancer.

Guo Y, Huang Q, Heng Y, Zhou Y, Chen H, Xu C MedComm (2020). 2025; 6(2):e70079.

PMID: 39901896 PMC: 11788016. DOI: 10.1002/mco2.70079.

Circular RNA circBNC2 inhibits tumorigenesis by modulating ferroptosis and acts as a nanotherapeutic target in prostate cancer.

Pan X, Chen K, Gao W, Xu M, Meng F, Wu M Mol Cancer. 2025; 24(1):29.

PMID: 39856701 PMC: 11759416. DOI: 10.1186/s12943-025-02234-9.

References

Hanahan D, Weinberg R . The hallmarks of cancer. Cell. 2000; 100(1):57-70. DOI: 10.1016/s0092-8674(00)81683-9. View

Sanger H, KLOTZ G, Riesner D, Gross H, KLEINSCHMIDT A . Viroids are single-stranded covalently closed circular RNA molecules existing as highly base-paired rod-like structures. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1976; 73(11):3852-6. PMC: 431239. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.73.11.3852. View

Kapoor T, Mayer T, Coughlin M, Mitchison T . Probing spindle assembly mechanisms with monastrol, a small molecule inhibitor of the mitotic kinesin, Eg5. J Cell Biol. 2000; 150(5):975-88. PMC: 2175262. DOI: 10.1083/jcb.150.5.975. View

Bird A . DNA methylation patterns and epigenetic memory. Genes Dev. 2002; 16(1):6-21. DOI: 10.1101/gad.947102. View

Maliga Z, Kapoor T, Mitchison T . Evidence that monastrol is an allosteric inhibitor of the mitotic kinesin Eg5. Chem Biol. 2002; 9(9):989-96. DOI: 10.1016/s1074-5521(02)00212-0. View

Lodygin D, Menssen A, Hermeking H . Induction of the Cdk inhibitor p21 by LY83583 inhibits tumor cell proliferation in a p53-independent manner. J Clin Invest. 2002; 110(11):1717-27. PMC: 151636. DOI: 10.1172/JCI16588. View

Bartel D . MicroRNAs: genomics, biogenesis, mechanism, and function. Cell. 2004; 116(2):281-97. DOI: 10.1016/s0092-8674(04)00045-5. View

Kang Y, Massague J . Epithelial-mesenchymal transitions: twist in development and metastasis. Cell. 2004; 118(3):277-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2004.07.011. View

He W, Dorn D, Erdjument-Bromage H, Tempst P, Moore M, Massague J . Hematopoiesis controlled by distinct TIF1gamma and Smad4 branches of the TGFbeta pathway. Cell. 2006; 125(5):929-41. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2006.03.045. View

10.

Roskoski Jr R . Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling in tumor progression. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2007; 62(3):179-213. DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2007.01.006. View

11.

Downes C, Ross S, Maccario H, Perera N, Davidson L, Leslie N . Stimulation of PI 3-kinase signaling via inhibition of the tumor suppressor phosphatase, PTEN. Adv Enzyme Regul. 2007; 47:184-94. DOI: 10.1016/j.advenzreg.2006.12.018. View

12.

Gearhart J, Pashos E, Prasad M . Pluripotency redux--advances in stem-cell research. N Engl J Med. 2007; 357(15):1469-72. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMp078126. View

13.

Dalerba P, Clarke M . Cancer stem cells and tumor metastasis: first steps into uncharted territory. Cell Stem Cell. 2008; 1(3):241-2. DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2007.08.012. View

14.

Tasdemir E, Maiuri M, Morselli E, Criollo A, DAmelio M, Djavaheri-Mergny M . A dual role of p53 in the control of autophagy. Autophagy. 2008; 4(6):810-4. DOI: 10.4161/auto.6486. View

15.

Pierson J, Hostager B, Fan R, Vibhakar R . Regulation of cyclin dependent kinase 6 by microRNA 124 in medulloblastoma. J Neurooncol. 2008; 90(1):1-7. DOI: 10.1007/s11060-008-9624-3. View

16.

Massague J . TGFbeta in Cancer. Cell. 2008; 134(2):215-30. PMC: 3512574. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2008.07.001. View

17.

Eilers M, Eisenman R . Myc's broad reach. Genes Dev. 2008; 22(20):2755-66. PMC: 2751281. DOI: 10.1101/gad.1712408. View

18.

Bartel D . MicroRNAs: target recognition and regulatory functions. Cell. 2009; 136(2):215-33. PMC: 3794896. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2009.01.002. View

19.

Yilmaz M, Christofori G . EMT, the cytoskeleton, and cancer cell invasion. Cancer Metastasis Rev. 2009; 28(1-2):15-33. DOI: 10.1007/s10555-008-9169-0. View

20.

Wang K, Degerny C, Xu M, Yang X . YAP, TAZ, and Yorkie: a conserved family of signal-responsive transcriptional coregulators in animal development and human disease. Biochem Cell Biol. 2009; 87(1):77-91. DOI: 10.1139/O08-114. View