Circular RNAs in Prostate Cancer: Is it Time to Further Explore Liquid Biopsies?

Abstract

Background: Although diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer (PCa) have evolved rapidly in recent years, clinically significant molecular biomarkers are still needed to lower the mortality. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a poorly characterized component of PCa transcriptome. Recently, since the development of deep RNA sequencing and novel bioinformatic pipelines, emerging evidence suggests circRNAs to have diverse functions in the development and progression of PCa. Thus, we attempt to summarize the current situation and potential development prospects about the role of circRNAs in PCa liquid biopsies.

Methods: The role of circRNAs in PCa was summarized by searching the literature related to circRNAs in PubMed in recent years.

Results: Deregulation of circRNAs is associated with cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell invasion, migration, as well as metastasis in PCa. Because of the high stability and tissue specificity of circRNAs, with improved detection methodologies, circRNAs may be predictive biomarkers in liquid biopsies.

Conclusion: From the perspective of recent research, with the development of high-throughput sequencing and novel bioinformatics tools, knowledge of circRNAs will be further expanded. Improved technologies will make personalized precision medicine less of a paper exercise. It is time to further explore circRNA in liquid biopsies.

Keywords: Circular RNA; PCa; PSA; apoptosis; biopsy; liquid biopsy; prostate cancer.