Circ_0039960 regulates growth and Warburg effect of breast cancer cells via modulating miR-1178/PRMT7 axis

The therapeutic potential of circular RNA in triple-negative breast cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is among the most aggressive subtypes of the disease that does not express estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a type of non-coding RNA with a circular shape formed by non-standard splicing or reverse splicing. Numerous circRNAs exhibit abnormal expression in various malignancies, showing their critical role in the emergence and growth of tumors. Recent studies have shown evidence supporting the idea that certain circRNAs regulate the proliferation and metastasis of TNBC. In addition, circRNAs alter metabolism and the immune microenvironment to promote or inhibit the development of TNBC. Notably, circRNAs may affect the efficacy of clinical drug therapy, serve as therapeutic targets, and be used as molecular biomarkers in the future. Herein, we will first summarize the biogenesis and function of circRNAs. Then, we will explain current research on circRNAs related to TNBC and their potential to serve as therapeutic targets or biomarkers for future drug development, providing a new direction and idea for TNBC therapy.

Circular RNA and its potential diagnostic and therapeutic values in breast cancer

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in women and still poses a significant threat to women worldwide. Recurrence of BC in situ, metastasis to distant organs, and resistance to chemotherapy are all attached to high mortality in patients with BC. Non-coding RNA (ncRNA) of the type known as "circRNA" links together from one end to another to create a covalently closed, single-stranded circular molecule. With characteristics including plurality, evolutionary conservation, stability, and particularity, they are extensively prevalent in various species and a range of human cells. CircRNAs are new and significant contributors to several kinds of disorders, including cardiovascular disease, multiple organ inflammatory responses and malignancies. Recent studies have shown that circRNAs play crucial roles in the occurrence of breast cancer by interacting with miRNAs to regulate gene expression at the transcriptional or post-transcriptional levels. CircRNAs offer the potential to be therapeutic targets for breast cancer treatment as well as prospective biomarkers for early diagnosis and prognosis of BC. Here, we are about to present an overview of the functions of circRNAs in the proliferation, invasion, migration, and resistance to medicines of breast cancer cells and serve as a promising resource for future investigations on the pathogenesis and therapeutic strategies.

Competing Endogenous RNA (ceRNA) Networks and Splicing Switches in Cervical Cancer: HPV Oncogenesis, Clinical Significance and Therapeutic Opportunities

Cervical cancer (CC) is the primary cause of female cancer fatalities in low-middle-income countries (LMICs). Persistent infections from the human papillomavirus (HPV) can result in cervical cancer. However, numerous different factors influence the development and progression of cervical cancer. Transcriptomic knowledge of the mechanisms with which HPV causes cervical cancer pathogenesis is growing. Nonetheless, there is an existing gap hindering the development of therapeutic approaches and the improvement of patient outcomes. Alternative splicing allows for the production of numerous RNA transcripts and protein isoforms from a single gene, increasing the transcriptome and protein diversity in eukaryotes. Cancer cells exhibit astounding transcriptome modifications by expressing cancer-specific splicing isoforms. High-risk HPV uses cellular alternative splicing events to produce viral and host splice variants and proteins that drive cancer progression or contribute to distinct cancer hallmarks. Understanding how viruses utilize alternative splicing to drive pathogenesis and tumorigenesis is essential. Although research into the role of miRNAs in tumorigenesis is advancing, the function of other non-coding RNAs, including lncRNA and circRNA, has been understudied. Through their interaction with mRNA, non-coding RNAs form a network of competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs), which regulate gene expression and promote cervical cancer development and advancement. The dysregulated expression of non-coding RNAs is an understudied and tangled process that promotes cervical cancer development. This review will present the role of aberrant alternative splicing and immunosuppression events in HPV-mediated cervical tumorigenesis, and ceRNA network regulation in cervical cancer pathogenesis will also be discussed. Furthermore, the therapeutic potential of splicing disruptor drugs in cervical cancer will be deliberated.