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. 2017 Dec 1;9(1):1444–1460. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.22846

Figure 2. Functions of circRNAs determined through cancer research.

Figure 2

CircRNAs serve as miRNA sponges/reservoirs or parental gene expression regulators involved in the onset and progression of cancers. Although the complete function of circRNAs in cancer biology remains unidentified clearly, several probable mechanisms have been reported so far. In general, a well-known function of circRNAs is of miRNA regulation through sponging miRNAs, if circRNA contains the corresponding miRNA binding sites. For example, circPVT1 promotes gastric cancers progression via acting as miR-125 sponge. Surprisingly, a specific circRNAs with corresponding miRNA binding sites, like cytoplasmic circHIAT1, serves as a miRNA reservoir, further stabilizing the miR-195-5p/29a-3p/29c-3p in renal cell carcinoma. In addition, some circRNAs, like ciRS-7/CDR1-AS, regulate parental genes through direct interactions. CiRS-7 is reported to enhance the CDR1 expression by interacting and stabilizing the sense CDR1 mRNA.