CircRNAs: functions and emerging roles in cancer and immunotherapy
Abstract Background Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are emerging as promising tools in cancer and immunotherapy, with unique characteristics that offer potential therapeutic applications. Main body This review outlines the discovery, biogenesis, and mechanisms of circRNAs, emphasizing their roles in cancer...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-08-01
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| Series: | BMC Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-025-04306-5 |
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| author | Yan Wang Yanru Cui Xin Li Su-Han Jin Haitao Wang Udo S. Gaipl Hu Ma Shixiang Wang Jian-Guo Zhou |
| author_facet | Yan Wang Yanru Cui Xin Li Su-Han Jin Haitao Wang Udo S. Gaipl Hu Ma Shixiang Wang Jian-Guo Zhou |
| author_sort | Yan Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are emerging as promising tools in cancer and immunotherapy, with unique characteristics that offer potential therapeutic applications. Main body This review outlines the discovery, biogenesis, and mechanisms of circRNAs, emphasizing their roles in cancer and immune regulation. CircRNAs modulate immune responses by acting as miRNA sponges, binding RNA-binding proteins, or serving as translation templates. These interactions influence T cells, NK cells, macrophages, and immune checkpoints. The review also explores circRNAs’ roles in different cancers, focusing on target identification, immune effects, and mechanisms of action. Additionally, it examines circRNA-based therapies, including vaccines, CAR-T cell therapy, and database applications. Conclusion Despite their potential, technical hurdles must be overcome to advance circRNAs’ clinical use in cancer immunotherapy. Future research should focus on addressing these challenges to fully realize the therapeutic potential of circRNAs. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e5fc849a4ae04de9a18db1e73de292fb |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1741-7015 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-e5fc849a4ae04de9a18db1e73de292fb2025-08-20T04:02:55ZengBMCBMC Medicine1741-70152025-08-0123111810.1186/s12916-025-04306-5CircRNAs: functions and emerging roles in cancer and immunotherapyYan Wang0Yanru Cui1Xin Li2Su-Han Jin3Haitao Wang4Udo S. Gaipl5Hu Ma6Shixiang Wang7Jian-Guo Zhou8Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical UniversityMeinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell UniversityDepartment of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical UniversityDepartment of Orthodontics, Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Zunyi Medical UniversityCenter for Precision Medicine Research and Training, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of MacauTranslational Radiobiology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-NürnbergDepartment of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical UniversityDepartment of Biomedical Informatics, School of Life Sciences, Central South UniversityDepartment of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical UniversityAbstract Background Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are emerging as promising tools in cancer and immunotherapy, with unique characteristics that offer potential therapeutic applications. Main body This review outlines the discovery, biogenesis, and mechanisms of circRNAs, emphasizing their roles in cancer and immune regulation. CircRNAs modulate immune responses by acting as miRNA sponges, binding RNA-binding proteins, or serving as translation templates. These interactions influence T cells, NK cells, macrophages, and immune checkpoints. The review also explores circRNAs’ roles in different cancers, focusing on target identification, immune effects, and mechanisms of action. Additionally, it examines circRNA-based therapies, including vaccines, CAR-T cell therapy, and database applications. Conclusion Despite their potential, technical hurdles must be overcome to advance circRNAs’ clinical use in cancer immunotherapy. Future research should focus on addressing these challenges to fully realize the therapeutic potential of circRNAs.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-025-04306-5CircRNAsCancerBiomarkersImmunotherapyTumor vaccines |
| spellingShingle | Yan Wang Yanru Cui Xin Li Su-Han Jin Haitao Wang Udo S. Gaipl Hu Ma Shixiang Wang Jian-Guo Zhou CircRNAs: functions and emerging roles in cancer and immunotherapy BMC Medicine CircRNAs Cancer Biomarkers Immunotherapy Tumor vaccines |
| title | CircRNAs: functions and emerging roles in cancer and immunotherapy |
| title_full | CircRNAs: functions and emerging roles in cancer and immunotherapy |
| title_fullStr | CircRNAs: functions and emerging roles in cancer and immunotherapy |
| title_full_unstemmed | CircRNAs: functions and emerging roles in cancer and immunotherapy |
| title_short | CircRNAs: functions and emerging roles in cancer and immunotherapy |
| title_sort | circrnas functions and emerging roles in cancer and immunotherapy |
| topic | CircRNAs Cancer Biomarkers Immunotherapy Tumor vaccines |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-025-04306-5 |
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