环状RNA(Circular RNA, circRNA)是一类非线性,自身成环的RNA分子,最近研究发现它大量存在于人类细胞中。作为一类新的调控性非编码RNA,环状RNA的生物合成和功能正受到广泛关注;然而它在细胞内合成和作用后的进一步去向尚不清楚。最近我们通过RNA高通量测序发现细胞外可检测到环状RNA,首次发现环状RNA在外泌体中大量存在并高度富集,可作为潜在的血清肿瘤标记物,并提示外泌体环状RNA的生成是受调控的。本项目将在前期工作基础上,以肿瘤细胞为模型，进一步研究外泌体环状RNA的生成和转运调控机制。运用高通量RNA测序, 结合生物信息分析,以及分子生物学等手段,分析肿瘤细胞外环状RNA的生成和特征,以及鉴定环状RNA相互作用分子,阐明它们对环状RNA转运到胞外的调控作用,并探索肿瘤细胞外环状RNA的潜在功能和临床意义,为揭示胞外环状RNA的调控作用机制和意义提供重要的实验基础。

Circular RNA (circRNA) is a type of RNA that, unlike linear RNA, forms a covalently closed continuous loop. circRNAs are recently found to be highly abundant and conserved in human cells. They have been categorized as noncoding RNAs that may serve as gene regulators. The biogenesis and function of circRNA have attracted widespread attentions. However, the direction of cellular circRNA remains unknown. Recently, we showed for the first time the presence of abundant circRNAs in exosomes. Furthermore, our results indicated that the sorting of circRNAs to exosomes may be regulated. In this project, we will further investigate the production and regulation of exosomal circRNAs using high-throughput RNA sequencing, bioinformatics analyses and molecular biology methods to provide new insights into the newly identified exosomal circRNAs.