环状RNA CDR1as:恶性肿瘤的新型调控因子

Circular RNA CDR1as: A Novel Regulator of Malignant Tumors

环状RNA(circRNA)是一类闭合环状结构的新型非编码RNA,广泛分布于各种组织中。与传统的线性RNA相比,circRNA不具有5′-和3′-末端,不会轻易被核酸外切酶降解,能够稳定存在于多种体液且进化保守,目前已成为临床非编码RNA的重点研究对象。恶性肿瘤具有发现晚、进展快、易复发等特点,目前尚缺乏有效的治疗方式,其发病率和死亡率一直居高不下。如何对其进行早期诊断、治疗干预以及预后评估,是当代医学研究的重点和热点之一。CDR1as是研究最为广泛的circRNA。它能够通过海绵微RNA(miRNA)或直接结合RNA结合蛋白(RBP),调控其下游基因的表达,激活相关信号通路,从而促进或抑制肿瘤的进展,甚至影响肿瘤的化疗敏感性。CDR1as主要存在于细胞质中,通常在疾病发生的早期即可释放入血。因此,CDR1as可能成为恶性肿瘤早期诊断的生物标志物或者治疗干预的理想靶标。本文以circRNA的特征及生物学功能为基础,对CDR1as在恶性肿瘤发生发展中的表达水平、作用机制及其相关信号通路等作一综述。同时,对CDR1as目前的研究概况进行了分析,对其未来应用于临床可能面临的问题进行初步了归纳,并对CDR1as未来的研究方向提出设想和建议。

Circular RNA(circRNA) is a new type of non-coding RNA with closed circular structures that are widely distributed in various tissues. Compared with traditional linear RNA, circRNA does not have 5′ and 3′ ends and will not be easily degraded by exonuclease. It can stably exist in a variety of body fluids and is evolutionarily conserved. It has become a key research object of clinical non-coding RNA. Malignant tumors have the characteristics of late detection, rapid progression, and easy recurrence. Currently, effective treatment methods are lacking, and their morbidity and mortality have been high. Therefore, how to carry out early diagnosis, treatment intervention and prognosis evaluation is one of the research frontier of contemporary medical research. CDR1 as is the most widely studied circRNA. It can regulate the expression of downstream genes through sponge microRNA(miRNA) or directly bind to RNA-binding proteins(RBPs) to activate related signaling pathways, thereby promoting or inhibiting tumor progression, and even affecting tumor chemotherapy sensitivity. CDR1 as mainly exists in the cytoplasm and can be released into the blood at the early stage of the disease. Therefore, CDR1 as may become a biomarker for early diagnosis of malignant tumors or an ideal target for therapeutic intervention. Focusing on the characteristics and biological functions of circRNA, this article reviews the expression level, mechanism of action and related signaling pathways of CDR1 as in the occurrence and development of malignant tumors. At the same time, this article analyzes the current research status of CDR1 as, preliminarily summarizes the problems it may face in clinical applications in the future, and puts forward ideas and suggestions on the future research direction of CDR1 as.