Circular RNAs in Endometriosis: from Expression Pattern To Pathogenesis
摘要
Endometriosis is a developing inflammatory disorder, which arises from the migration and aberrant growth of endometrial cells in extrauterine areas in an estrogen-dependent fashion, representing an approximate prevalence of 15% among menstruating women. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) account for a special subtype of endogenous non-coding RNAs that act as significant regulators of numerous biological activities by controlling the abundance of cellular microRNAs, getting involved in post-transcriptional modifications, and contributing to protein translation. In this review, we summarized available evidence on alterations of circRNA expression in women with endometriosis, as well as elaborated on the mechanistic processes by which circRNAs participate in the pathogenesis of endometriosis, throwing the spotlight on the significance of circRNAs as possible diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic agents.