Circularized RNA as novel therapeutics in cancer

Abstract

Circular RNAs (CircRNAs) regulate gene expression by functioning as microRNA sponges, regulating protein stability, and gilding proteins for gene transcription and translation. Also, limited circRNAs harbour protein-coding ability through cap-independent pathways. These molecular mechanisms of circRNAs contribute to their importance in several cellular processes. Particularly, the dysregulation of circRNAs also plays a critical role in disease development. Targeting disease-causing circRNAs by restoring their normal expression by gain-of-function or loss-of-function approach and regulating their molecular activities could be potential direction for the development of anti-cancer therapies. Furthermore, due to unique covalently closed circular structure, the superior stability of circRNAs also grants them as novel therapeutic tools replacing the therapeutic small interfering RNAs and messenger RNAs. Here, we will review the functional and molecular mechanisms of circRNAs in pathogenesis, the current methods for targeting the dysregulated circRNAs, and the potential of using synthetic circRNAs in disease treatment and prevention.

Keywords: Cancer; Circular RNA (circRNA); Engineered circRNA; Protein synthesis; Synthetic circRNA; Therapeutic target.