The roles and mechanisms of circular RNAs related to mTOR in cancers

BackgroundCircular RNAs (circRNAs) are stable molecules with covalently closed structures that have an irreplaceable role in the occurrence, progression, and even treatment of plenty of cancers. Mammalian/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a key regulator in cancers and plays several biological functions, such as proliferation, migration, invasion, autophagy, and apoptosis. MethodsAll data were collected through PubMed and CNKI, using terms including circRNA, mTOR, caner, signaling pathway, biomarker, diagnosis, treatment. Articles published in Chinese and English were included. ResultsIn this review, the expression, function, and mechanism of circRNA-associated mTOR in cancers were described. CircRNA-associated-mTOR can regulate the progression and therapy of a variety of cancers in multiple signaling pathways, such as phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mTOR, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/mTOR, and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/mTOR axis. These cancers including esophageal carcinoma (circLPAR3, ciRS-7), gastric cancer (circNRIP1, hsa_circ_0010882, hsa_circ_0000117, hsa_circ_0072309, and circST3GAL6), colorectal cancer (hsa_circ_0000392, hsa_circ_0084927, hsa_circ_0104631, and circFBXW7), liver cancer (circC16orf62, hsa_circ_100338, hsa_circ_0004001, hsa_circ_0004123, hsa_circ_0075792, hsa_circ_0079299, and hsa_circ_0002130), pancreatic cancer (circ-IARS and circRHOBTB3), renal carcinoma (ciRS-7), bladder cancer (circUBE2K), prostate cancer (circMBOAT2 and circ-ITCH), ovarian cancer (circEEF2, circRAB11FIP1, circMYLK, and circTPCN), endometrial cancer (hsa_circ_0002577 and circWHSC1), lung cancer (circHIPK3, hsa_circ_0001666), thyroid cancer (hsa_circ_0007694 and hsa_circ_0008274), glioma (circGFRA1, circ-MAPK4, circPCMTD1, and hsa_circ_0037251), osteosarcoma (circTCF25), leukemia (circ-PRKDC), and breast cancer (hsa_circ_0000199, circUBAP2, and circWHSC1).

Automated summary

This review describes the expression, function, and mechanism of circRNA-associated mTOR in various cancers. CircRNA-associated mTOR can regulate the progression and therapy of cancers through multiple signaling pathways.