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Journal of Hematology & Oncology
Published in: Journal of Hematology & Oncology 1/2021

Open Access 01-12-2021 | Hepatocellular Carcinoma | Review

Circular RNAs: characteristics, biogenesis, mechanisms and functions in liver cancer

Authors: Hao Shen, Boqiang Liu, Junjie Xu, Bin Zhang, Yifan Wang, Liang Shi, Xiujun Cai

Published in: Journal of Hematology & Oncology | Issue 1/2021

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Abstract

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies globally. Despite aggressive and multimodal treatment regimens, the overall survival of HCC patients remains poor.

Main

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) with covalently closed structures and tissue- or organ-specific expression patterns in eukaryotes. They are highly stable and have important biological functions, including acting as microRNA sponges, protein scaffolds, transcription regulators, translation templates and interacting with RNA-binding protein. Recent advances have indicated that circRNAs present abnormal expression in HCC tissues and that their dysregulation contributes to HCC initiation and progression. Furthermore, researchers have revealed that some circRNAs might serve as diagnostic biomarkers or drug targets in clinical settings. In this review, we systematically evaluate the characteristics, biogenesis, mechanisms and functions of circRNAs in HCC and further discuss the current shortcomings and potential directions of prospective studies on liver cancer-related circRNAs.

Conclusion

CircRNAs are a novel class of ncRNAs that play a significant role in HCC initiation and progression, but their internal mechanisms and clinical applications need further investigation.
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Metadata
Title
Circular RNAs: characteristics, biogenesis, mechanisms and functions in liver cancer
Authors
Hao Shen
Boqiang Liu
Junjie Xu
Bin Zhang
Yifan Wang
Liang Shi
Xiujun Cai
Publication date
01-12-2021
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Journal of Hematology & Oncology / Issue 1/2021
Electronic ISSN: 1756-8722
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13045-021-01145-8

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