CircRNA-Encoded Peptides or Proteins as New Players in Digestive System Neoplasms

Enqing Meng; Jie Deng; Rongqi Jiang; Hao Wu

doi:10.3389/fonc.2022.944159

CircRNA-Encoded Peptides or Proteins as New Players in Digestive System Neoplasms

Front Oncol. 2022 Jul 22:12:944159. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2022.944159. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Enqing Meng¹, Jie Deng¹, Rongqi Jiang¹, Hao Wu¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.

Abstract

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) were considered non-coding RNAs. Nowadays, a large number of studies have found that these RNAs contain open reading frames that can be translated in a cap-independent manner, such as internal ribosome entry site (IRES) and N6-methyladenosine (m6A). The encoded peptides or proteins affect the occurrence and development of tumors by regulating the Yap-hippo and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways, as well as the malignant progression of tumors through phosphorylation and ubiquitination of specific molecules. This review will summarize the regulation of circRNA translation and the functional roles and underlying mechanisms of circRNA-derived peptides or proteins in digestive tract tumors. Some circRNA-encoded peptides or proteins may be used as tumor biomarkers and prognostic factors for early screening and treatment of clinical gastrointestinal tumors.

Keywords: circular RNAs; digestive cancers; peptides; signaling pathways; translation.

Publication types

Review