With high morbidity and mortality worldwide, injuries to the central nervous system (CNS) usually result in devastating consequences. However, the underlying mechanisms have not been fully understood and current therapies are still limited. Circular RNA (circRNA) is a novel type of endogenous noncoding RNAs, characterized by covalently closed annular structure. It is gradually recognized that circRNAs are involved in multiple biological processes, such as acting as microRNA sponges or scaffolds during the assembly of protein complex and modulating the transcription of certain genes. Interestingly, circRNAs have been found to be highly expressed in the CNS, which indicates their neurospecificity. Several circRNAs have already been discovered to be associated with multiple pathophysiological processes following neurological diseases. Currently, the molecular roles of circRNAs in CNS injuries have gained increasing attention, leading to uninterrupted relevant researches. Herein, we presented a review of current studies on the role of circRNAs in CNS injuries. The therapeutic potency of circRNAs in CNS injuries was also analyzed.

中文翻译：

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环状 RNA 在 CNS 损伤中的新兴作用。

由于全世界的发病率和死亡率都很高，中枢神经系统 (CNS) 的损伤通常会导致毁灭性的后果。然而，潜在的机制尚未完全了解，目前的治疗方法仍然有限。环状RNA（circRNA）是一种新型的内源性非编码RNA，其特征是共价闭合的环状结构。人们逐渐认识到，circRNA 参与了多种生物学过程，例如在蛋白质复合物组装过程中充当 microRNA 海绵或支架，以及调节某些基因的转录。有趣的是，已发现 circRNA 在 CNS 中高度表达，这表明它们具有神经特异性。已经发现几种 circRNA 与神经系统疾病后的多个病理生理过程有关。目前，circRNAs 在中枢神经系统损伤中的分子作用越来越受到关注，相关研究不断。在此，我们回顾了当前关于 circRNA 在 CNS 损伤中的作用的研究。还分析了 circRNAs 在 CNS 损伤中的治疗效力。