Circular RNAs (
circRNAs) are a class of non-coding RNAs with loop structures that are stable and widely distributed in different
tumor tissues. The development of high-throughput sequencing and in silico tools has enabled the discovery of numerous functional
circRNAs.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant
tumor, and the mechanism involved in its progression has remained unclear. In recent years, an increasing number of
circRNAs have been identified in HCC, contributing to
tumorigenesis and
metastasis and with the potential role as
biomarkers through competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) as
miRNA sponges or by interacting with
RNA binding proteins (RBPs). In this review, we summarize the regulatory roles of
circRNAs in HCC development as well as the use of bioinformatics tools in the annotation and prioritization of
circRNA and highlight the participation of exosomal
circRNAs in HCC
metastasis and drug resistance.