Mechanisms of circular RNAs in diabetic cardiomyopathy: biological characteristics and clinical prospects.

Abstract

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a specific form of heart disease induced by diabetes, characterized by myocardial fibrosis, oxidative stress, metabolic dysregulation, and cardiomyocyte death. In recent years, circular RNAs (circRNAs), a novel class of non-coding RNAs, have gained increasing attention due to their unique covalently closed structure, high stability, and critical regulatory roles in various diseases. While extensive studies have been conducted on microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the context of DCM, research on circRNAs remains relatively limited and fragmented. Existing reviews often focus on specific aspects without providing a systematic and comprehensive overview. This review aims to summarize the current progress in circRNA research related to DCM, with a particular focus on the molecular mechanisms and regulatory networks through which circRNAs influence metabolic disorders, oxidative stress, myocardial fibrosis, and programmed cell death. In addition, the potential of circRNAs as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets is evaluated, along with an in-depth discussion of current challenges and future research directions. This work is intended to offer theoretical insights and reference value for both fundamental and translational studies of circRNAs in DCM.