Circular RNAs: a rising star in respiratory diseases

• Published in: Respiratory research Vol. 20; no. 1; p. 3
• Main Authors: Wang, Jian, Zhu, Mengchan, Pan, Jue, Chen, Cuicui, Xia, Shijin, Song, Yuanlin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 05-01-2019; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Adult respiratory distress syndrome; Alternative splicing; Apoptosis; Biosynthesis; Circular RNAs; Development and progression; Developmental stages; Exons; Genetic aspects; Health aspects; Hypertension; Identification; Introns; Lung cancer; Lung diseases; Lung research; MicroRNA; miRNA sponge; Non-coding RNA; Pathogenesis; Pulmonary hypertension; Pulmonary tuberculosis; Respiratory diseases; Respiratory distress syndrome; Respiratory tract diseases; Review; Ribonucleic acid; RNA; Silicosis; Tuberculosis; China; Alternative splicing; miRNA sponge; Non-coding RNA; Circular RNAs; Respiratory diseases
• ISSN: 1465-993X; 1465-9921; 1465-993X; 1465-9921
• DOI: 10.1186/s12931-018-0962-1

Circular RNAs (CircRNAs), as a new class of non-coding RNA molecules that, unlike linear RNAs, have covalently closed loop structures from the ligation of exons, introns, or both. CircRNAs are widely expressed in various organisms in a specie-, tissue-, disease- and developmental stage-specific manner, and have been demonstrated to play a vital role in the pathogenesis and progression of human diseases. An increasing number of recent studies has revealed that circRNAs are intensively associated with different respiratory diseases, including lung cancer, acute respiratory distress syndrome, pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary tuberculosis, and silicosis. However, to the best of our knowledge, there has been no systematic review of studies on the role of circRNAs in respiratory diseases. In this review, we elaborate on the biogenesis, functions, and identification of circRNAs and focus particularly on the potential implications of circRNAs in respiratory diseases.