Biomedicines (Oct 2021)

The Dual Role of Circular RNAs as miRNA Sponges in Breast Cancer and Colon Cancer

  • Jiashu Huang,
  • Shenghao Yu,
  • Lei Ding,
  • Lingyuan Ma,
  • Hongjian Chen,
  • Hui Zhou,
  • Yayan Zou,
  • Min Yu,
  • Jie Lin,
  • Qinghua Cui

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines9111590
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 11
p. 1590

Abstract

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Breast cancer (BC) and colon cancer (CRC) are the two most deadly cancers in the world. These cancers partly share the same genetic background and are partially regulated by the same genes. The outcomes of traditional chemoradiotherapy and surgery remain suboptimal, with high postoperative recurrence and a low survival rate. It is, therefore, urgent to innovate and improve the existing treatment measures. Many studies primarily reported that the microRNA (miRNA) sponge functions of circular RNA (circRNA) in BC and CRC have an indirect relationship between the circRNA–miRNA axis and malignant behaviors. With a covalent ring structure, circRNAs can regulate the expression of target genes in multiple ways, especially by acting as miRNA sponges. Therefore, this review mainly focuses on the roles of circRNAs as miRNA sponges in BC and CRC based on studies over the last three years, thus providing a theoretical reference for finding new therapeutic targets in the future.

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