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Review
. 2023 Dec 22;25(1):178.
doi: 10.3390/ijms25010178.

Circular RNAs: Promising Treatment Targets and Biomarkers of Ischemic Stroke

Guangchen Xu  1 , Ge Liu  1 , Ziyu Wang  1 , Yunman Li  1 , Weirong Fang  1
Affiliations
Review

Circular RNAs: Promising Treatment Targets and Biomarkers of Ischemic Stroke

Guangchen Xu et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

Ischemic stroke is one of the most significant causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. However, there is a dearth of effective drugs and treatment methods for ischemic stroke. Significant numbers of circular RNAs (circRNAs) exhibit abnormal expression following ischemic stroke and are considered potential therapeutic targets. CircRNAs have emerged as promising biomarkers due to their stable expression in peripheral blood and their potential significance in ischemic stroke diagnosis and prognosis. This review provides a summary of 31 circRNAs involved in the pathophysiological processes of apoptosis, autophagy, inflammation, oxidative stress, and angiogenesis following ischemic stroke. Furthermore, we discuss the mechanisms of action of said circRNAs and their potential clinical applications. Ultimately, circRNAs exhibit promise as both therapeutic targets and biomarkers for ischemic stroke.

Keywords: CircRNA; biomarker; ischemic stroke; miRNA sponge; treatment target.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Biological functions of circular RNAs (circRNAs). (A) CircRNAs act as miRNA sponges to prevent miRNA from binding and suppressing their target mRNAs. (B) CircRNAs act as protein scaffolds to form a circRNA-protein complex and influence protein interactions. (C) CircRNAs act as RNA-binding protein (RBP) sponges to prevent RBPs from functioning. (D) CircRNAs with internal ribosomal entry sites (IRES) or that have undergone N6-methyladenosine modification can translate proteins. (E) CircRNAs regulate transcription by forming an R-loop.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The potential clinical applications of circRNAs in stroke. Differential circRNA expression is examined by nucleic acid testing to diagnose and prognosis for ischemic stroke patients. CircRNAs are then silenced or over-expressed to alleviate cerebral ischemic injury. The function of circRNAs with unchanged expression is unclear in patients with ischemic stroke.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Summary of circRNAs involved in ischemic stroke pathophysiology.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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