Open AccessCircular RNA and its potential as prostate cancer biomarkers
Author(s) -
Dwayne Tucker,
Wei Zheng,
Dahong Zhang,
Xuesen Dong
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
world journal of clinical oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2218-4333
DOI - 10.5306/wjco.v11.i8.563
Subject(s) - computational biology , biogenesis , prostate cancer , circular rna , biomarker , transcriptome , biomarker discovery , medicine , microvesicles , rna , biology , cancer , bioinformatics , microrna , gene , genetics , gene expression , proteomics
Advancing knowledge of the transcriptome has revealed that circular RNAs (circRNAs) are widely expressed and evolutionarily conserved molecules that may serve relevant biological roles. More interesting is the accumulating evidence which demonstrates the implication of circRNAs in diseases, especially cancers. This revelation has helped to form the rationale for many studies exploring their utility as clinical biomarkers. CircRNAs are highly stable due to their unique structures, exhibit some tissue specificity, and are enriched in exosomes, which facilitate their detection in a range of body fluids. These properties make circRNAs ideal candidates for biomarker development in many diseases. This review will outline the discovery, biogenesis, and proposed functions of circRNAs.