Journal of International Reproductive Health/Family Planning ›› 2024, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (4): 322-327.doi: 10.12280/gjszjk.20240127

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Advances in CircRNAs Research in Reproductive System

JIAO Meng-wen, ZHANG Yue-wen, WANG Ling, MO Shao-kang()   

  1. School of Public Health, Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China (JIAO Meng-wen, ZHANG Yue-wen); Center for Reproductive Medicine, The 940th Hospital of Joint Logistic Support Force of the People′s Liberation Army, Lanzhou 730050, China (WANG Ling, MO Shao-kang)
  • Received:2024-03-14 Published:2024-07-15 Online:2024-07-24
  • Contact: MO Shao-kang E-mail:505704391@qq.com

Abstract:

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of endogenous non-coding RNA (ncRNA) without 5′N7-methylguanosine caps and 3′polyadenylated tails, forming a close loop structure with covalent bonds. Due to the specificity of circRNAs structure, it is highly resistant to ribonucleic acid exonuclease R (RNaseR) and is therefore quite abundant in the cytoplasm. The continuous development of high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics methods has revealed that circRNAs are highly conserved, stable, disease-specific, and tissue-specific, giving them potential as biomarkers in early clinical diagnosis. Studies have demonstrated that circRNAs interact with oogenesis, ovarian aging, and ovary-related diseases in the female reproductive system, and with spermatogenesis and testicular development in the male reproductive system. CircRNAs are expected to be new diagnostic and therapeutic targets for a variety of reproductive disease. In the paper, we will focus on the biological functions and regulatory roles of circRNAs in reproductive system.

Key words: RNA, circular, Genital diseases, male, Genital diseases, female, Embryonic development, Spermatogenesis