Circular RNAs as novel potential biomarkers for pancreatic cancer

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer (PaCa) is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, and the vast majority of these malignancies are pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC), but there is still a lack of early detection biomarkers for PaCa. Unlike linear RNAs, circRNAs form covalently closed continuous loops and can act as mammalian gene regulators. They may be diagnostic or predictive biomarkers for some tumors, also be novel potential therapeutic targets in different diseases. This review focuses on (1) the biogenesis of circRNAs, RNA binding proteins (RBPs) and complementary sequences of circRNAs; (2) the characteristics of circRNAs which allow them to interact with miRNAs; (3) the roles of circRNAs playing in the regulation of gene expression, cell behavior and cancer, and their potential role as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets in pancreatic cancer.

Hsa_circ_0046523 Mediates an Immunosuppressive Tumor Microenvironment by Regulating MiR-148a-3p/PD-L1 Axis in Pancreatic Cancer

“…Emerging evidence shows that circRNAs possess closely associated with the pathogenesis and progress of various cancers. Previous studies have demonstrated that a number of circRNAs were aberrantly expressed in PC ( 22 – 24 ). Nevertheless, the role and mechanism of circRNAs in regulating immune microenvironment of PC remain to be elucidated.…”

Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Implications of Noncoding RNAs in Cancer

“…Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), which include small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs), small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs), long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), are RNA molecules that arise from genomic regions without protein-coding potential and display a variety of mechanisms and functions by regulating gene expression at the transcriptional, RNA processing, and translational levels and participating in virtually all cellular processes [ 1 , 2 ]. Dysregulated ncRNAs are involved in many complex human diseases and exert distinct functions, such as oncogenic and tumor-suppressive roles [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]. In this Special Issue, we gathered six articles—three original research contributions, one communication, and two review articles—that focused on the latest findings and important perspectives of the molecular mechanisms and clinical implications of ncRNAs in various cancers, including the discovery and structural prediction of novel miRNAs, as well as the mechanism of miRNAs and lncRNAs in cancer proliferation, metastasis, invasion, and drug resistance and their clinical application as potential new biomarkers and therapeutic drugs.…”