Yonsei Med J.  2018 May;59(3):349-355. 10.3349/ymj.2018.59.3.349.

An Emerging Role for Circular RNAs in Osteoarthritis

• Yu CX
• Sun S

• KMID: 2407857
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2018.59.3.349

Abstract

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are currently classed as non-coding RNAs that, unlike the better known canonical linear RNAs, form a covalently closed continuous loop without 5"² or 3"² polarities. With the development of high throughput sequencing technology, a large number of circRNAs have been discovered in many species. More importantly, growing evidence suggests that circRNAs are abundant, evolutionally conserved, and relatively stable in cells and tissues. Strikingly, recent studies have discovered that circRNAs can serve as microRNA sponges, interact with RNA-binding protein, and regulate gene transcription, as well as protein translation. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common chronic degenerative joint disease. CircRNAs are differentially expressed in OA cartilage. Moreover, some circRNAs are involved in multiple pathological processes during OA, mainly extracellular matrix degradation, inflammation, and apoptosis. In this review, we briefly delineate the biogenesis, characteristics, and biofunctions of circRNAs, and then, focus on the role of circRNAs in the occurrence and progression OA.

Keyword

Circular RNAs; osteoarthritis; articular cartilage; silencing of circRNAs

MeSH Terms

Apoptosis
Cartilage
Cartilage, Articular
Extracellular Matrix
Inflammation
Joint Diseases
MicroRNAs
Osteoarthritis*
Pathologic Processes
Porifera
Protein Biosynthesis
RNA*
RNA, Untranslated
RNA-Binding Proteins
MicroRNAs
RNA
RNA, Untranslated
RNA-Binding Proteins

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Possible biogenesis models of circRNAs. pre-mRNA, pre-messenger RNAs; RBP, RNA-binding protein; circRNAs, circular RNAs.

• 

  Fig. 2 Roles of circRNAs in the occurrence and development of OA. CircRNAs are regulated in OA cartilage, and associated with ECM degradation, apoptosis, and inflammation of chondrocytes. ↑ indicates upregulation, and ↓ represents downregulation. circRNAs, circular RNAs; OS, osteoarthritis; ECM, extracellular matrix; circRNA-CER, chondrocyte extracellular matrix related circRNAs; circRNAs-MSR, mechanical stress-related circRNAs.

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