J Cancer 2018; 9(9):1548-1559. doi:10.7150/jca.24566 This issue Cite
Review
1. Institute of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, Jiangsu, China
2. Department of Pharmacy, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang, China
3. School of Pharmacy, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, Jiangsu, China
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks the third leading cause of cancer death in the world and has a notably low survival rate. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are newly classed non-coding RNA (ncRNA) members that are capable of regulating gene expression at transcription or post-transcription levels. Recent studies demonstrate that some circRNAs are differentially expressed in HCC, and the deregulation of these circRNAs is associated with the clinical pathological and prognostic significance. They also play essential roles in HCC progression, and contribute to cell proliferation, migration, invasion and metastasis by targeting different microRNAs (miRNAs) and protein-coding genes. In this review, we concentrate on recent progress of some important circRNAs in HCC, with an emphasis on their deregulation, functions and regulatory mechanisms, and discuss their potential utility as diagnostic and/or prognostic biomarkers or therapeutic targets for HCC.
Keywords: circRNA, HCC, liver cancer, miRNA sponge, biomarker, proliferation