Emerging Roles of Circular RNAs in Stem Cells

Overview

Journal Genes Dis

Date 2023 Jul 26

PMID 37492713

Authors

Mengru Wang

Juan Wu

Pan Wu

Yuhong Li

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a novel class of noncoding RNAs that widely exist in eukaryotes. As a new focus in the field of molecular regulation, circRNAs have attracted much attention in recent years. Previous studies have confirmed that circRNAs are associated with many physiological and pathological processes. CircRNAs also participate in the regulation of stem cells. Stem cells have the properties of self-renewal and differentiation, which make stem cell therapy popular. CircRNAs may serve as new targets in stem cell therapy due to their regulation in stem cells. However, the underlying relationships between circRNAs and stem cells are still being explored. In this review, we briefly summarize the effects of circRNAs on stem cells, in the context of biological activities, aging and apoptosis, and aberrant changes. Moreover, we also examine the biological roles of stem cell-derived exosomal circRNAs. We believe our review will provide insights into the effects of circRNAs on stem cells.

Citing Articles

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.

Selection and Regulatory Network Analysis of Differential CircRNAs in the Hypothalamus of Goats with High and Low Reproductive Capacity.

Mao S, Wu C, Feng G, Li Y, Sun B, Guo Y Int J Mol Sci. 2024; 25(19).

PMID: 39408808 PMC: 11476610. DOI: 10.3390/ijms251910479.

Circular RNA-Mediated Regulation of Oral Tissue-Derived Stem Cell Differentiation: Implications for Oral Medicine and Orthodontic Applications.

Suciu T, Festila D, Berindan-Neagoe I, Nutu A, Armencea G, Aghiorghiesei A Stem Cell Rev Rep. 2024; 20(3):656-671.

PMID: 38279054 PMC: 10984898. DOI: 10.1007/s12015-024-10683-w.

Signaling pathways governing the behaviors of leukemia stem cells.

Azizidoost S, Nasrolahi A, Sheykhi-Sabzehpoush M, Anbiyaiee A, Khoshnam S, Farzaneh M Genes Dis. 2023; 11(2):830-846.

PMID: 37692500 PMC: 10491880. DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2023.01.008.

WNT/β-catenin signaling in hepatocellular carcinoma: The aberrant activation, pathogenic roles, and therapeutic opportunities.

Gajos-Michniewicz A, Czyz M Genes Dis. 2023; 11(2):727-746.

PMID: 37692481 PMC: 10491942. DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2023.02.050.

References

Huang Y, Wan S, Yang M . Circ_0067680 expedites the osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells through miR-4429/CTNNB1/Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Biol Direct. 2021; 16(1):16. PMC: 8515698. DOI: 10.1186/s13062-021-00302-w. View

Chen X, Ouyang H, Wang Z, Chen B, Nie Q . A Novel Circular RNA Generated by FGFR2 Gene Promotes Myoblast Proliferation and Differentiation by Sponging miR-133a-5p and miR-29b-1-5p. Cells. 2018; 7(11). PMC: 6262629. DOI: 10.3390/cells7110199. View

Zheng J, Zhu X, He Y, Hou S, Liu T, Zhi K . CircCDK8 regulates osteogenic differentiation and apoptosis of PDLSCs by inducing ER stress/autophagy during hypoxia. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2020; 1485(1):56-70. DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14483. View

Yue B, Wang J, Ru W, Wu J, Cao X, Yang H . The Circular RNA circHUWE1 Sponges the miR-29b-AKT3 Axis to Regulate Myoblast Development. Mol Ther Nucleic Acids. 2020; 19:1086-1097. PMC: 7015828. DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2019.12.039. View

Lei W, Feng T, Fang X, Yu Y, Yang J, Zhao Z . Signature of circular RNAs in human induced pluripotent stem cells and derived cardiomyocytes. Stem Cell Res Ther. 2018; 9(1):56. PMC: 5845222. DOI: 10.1186/s13287-018-0793-5. View

Li Y, Bian M, Zhou Z, Wu X, Ge X, Xiao T . Circular RNA SIPA1L1 regulates osteoblastic differentiation of stem cells from apical papilla via miR-204-5p/ALPL pathway. Stem Cell Res Ther. 2020; 11(1):461. PMC: 7607702. DOI: 10.1186/s13287-020-01970-7. View

Li L, Chen Y, Nie L, Ding X, Zhang X, Zhao W . MyoD-induced circular RNA CDR1as promotes myogenic differentiation of skeletal muscle satellite cells. Biochim Biophys Acta Gene Regul Mech. 2019; 1862(8):807-821. DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2019.07.001. View

Cheng X, Yang T, Meng W, Liu H, Zhang T, Shi R . Overexpression of GDF5 through an adenovirus vector stimulates osteogenesis of human mesenchymal stem cells in vitro and in vivo. Cells Tissues Organs. 2012; 196(1):56-67. DOI: 10.1159/000330791. View

Zhang C, Cao J, Lv W, Mou H . CircRNA_100395 Carried by Exosomes From Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Inhibits the Malignant Transformation of Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma Through the miR-141-3p-LATS2 Axis. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2021; 9:663147. PMC: 8027360. DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.663147. View

10.

Li J, Sun D, Pu W, Wang J, Peng Y . Circular RNAs in Cancer: Biogenesis, Function, and Clinical Significance. Trends Cancer. 2020; 6(4):319-336. DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2020.01.012. View

11.

Zhang M, Jia L, Zheng Y . circRNA Expression Profiles in Human Bone Marrow Stem Cells Undergoing Osteoblast Differentiation. Stem Cell Rev Rep. 2018; 15(1):126-138. DOI: 10.1007/s12015-018-9841-x. View

12.

Ruan Z, Chen G, Zhang R, Zhu L . Circular RNA expression profiles during the differentiation of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells into cardiomyocyte-like cells. J Cell Physiol. 2019; 234(9):16412-16423. DOI: 10.1002/jcp.28310. View

13.

Liu C, Liu A, Zhong D, Wang C, Yu M, Zhang H . Circular RNA AFF4 modulates osteogenic differentiation in BM-MSCs by activating SMAD1/5 pathway through miR-135a-5p/FNDC5/Irisin axis. Cell Death Dis. 2021; 12(7):631. PMC: 8213698. DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-03877-4. View

14.

Lin G, Fei Y, Zhang Y . Hsa-circ_0003420 induces apoptosis in acute myeloid leukemia stem cells and impairs stem cell properties. Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol. 2021; 43(5):622-631. DOI: 10.1080/08923973.2021.1963272. View

15.

Li Z, Huang C, Bao C, Chen L, Lin M, Wang X . Exon-intron circular RNAs regulate transcription in the nucleus. Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2015; 22(3):256-64. DOI: 10.1038/nsmb.2959. View

16.

McKay R . Stem cells in the central nervous system. Science. 1997; 276(5309):66-71. DOI: 10.1126/science.276.5309.66. View

17.

Shen W, Zhao X, Li S . Exosomes Derived from ADSCs Attenuate Sepsis-Induced Lung Injury by Delivery of Circ-Fryl and Regulation of the miR-490-3p/SIRT3 Pathway. Inflammation. 2021; 45(1):331-342. DOI: 10.1007/s10753-021-01548-2. View

18.

Wang F, Chen X, Han Y, Xi S, Wu G . circRNA CDR1as Regulated the Proliferation of Human Periodontal Ligament Stem Cells under a Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammatory Condition. Mediators Inflamm. 2019; 2019:1625381. PMC: 6754938. DOI: 10.1155/2019/1625381. View

19.

Altesha M, Ni T, Khan A, Liu K, Zheng X . Circular RNA in cardiovascular disease. J Cell Physiol. 2018; 234(5):5588-5600. DOI: 10.1002/jcp.27384. View

20.

Kristensen L, Okholm T, Veno M, Kjems J . Circular RNAs are abundantly expressed and upregulated during human epidermal stem cell differentiation. RNA Biol. 2017; 15(2):280-291. PMC: 5798954. DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2017.1409931. View