Circular RNA (circRNA) is a type of non-coding RNA characterized by a covalently closed continuous loop. CircRNA is generated by pre-mRNA through back-splicing and is probably cleared up by extracellular vesicles. CircRNAs play a pivotal role in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. Recently, circRNAs have been demonstrated to be involved in the regulation of liver homeostasis and diseases. However, the epigenetic role and underlying mechanisms of circRNAs in chronic liver diseases remain unclear. This review discussed the role of circRNAs in non-neoplastic chronic liver diseases, including alcoholic liver disease (ALD), metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), viral hepatitis, liver injury and regeneration, liver cirrhosis, and autoimmune liver disease. The review also highlighted that further efforts are urgently needed to develop circRNAs as novel diagnostics and therapeutics for chronic liver diseases.
Keywords: alcoholic liver disease; autoimmune liver disease; circular RNA; epigenetics; hepatitis; liver cirrhosis; liver regeneration; metabolic-associated fatty liver disease; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.