Current Understandings and Open Hypotheses on Extracellular Circular RNAs

Abstract

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are closed RNA loops present in humans and other organisms. Various circRNAs have an essential role in diseases, including cancer. Cells can release circRNAs into the extracellular space of adjacent biofluids and can be present in extracellular vesicles. Due to their circular nature, extracellular circRNAs (excircRNAs) are more stable than their linear counterparts and are abundant in many biofluids, such as blood plasma and urine. circRNAs' link with disease suggests their extracellular counterparts have high biomarker potential. However, circRNAs and the extracellular space are challenging research domains, as they consist of complex biological systems plagued with nomenclature issues and a wide variety of protocols with different advantages and disadvantages. Here, we summarize what is known about excircRNAs, the current challenges in the field, and what is needed to improve extracellular circRNA research.