环状RNA:竞争性内源RNA新成员

Circular RNA: A New Member of Competing Endogenous RNAs

环状RNA(circRNA)广泛存在于各种生物细胞中,具有结构稳定、丰度高和组织特异性表达等特征。最近的研究表明,一些circRNA作为竞争性内源RNA(ceRNA)来发挥基因表达调控的作用。circRNA利用其microRNA(miRNA)应答元件结合miRNA,以阻断miRNA对其靶标表达的抑制作用,从而调控其他相关RNA的表达水平。circRNA在基因表达调控中重要作用的发现不仅丰富了人们对ceRNA调控网络的认识,而且提示circRNA在药物开发和疾病诊治中具有良好的应用前景。

Circular RNAs （circRNAs） are broadly found in various species＇ cells. They have several characteristics including structural stability, high expression and expression in a tissue-specific manner. Recent studies have demonstrated that several circRNAs regulate gene expression acting as competing endogenous RNAs （ceRNAs）. circRNAs sequester microRNAs （miRNAs） to terminate suppression of their targets and modulate the expression level of other related RNA molecules, which share the same miRNA response elements （MREs）. The findings of circRNAs＇ function in gene expression not only expand our understanding about ceRNA regulation network, but also indicate that circRNAs might be developed as potential drugs and used in disease diagnosis and treatment.