Circular RNA CEIP (circCEIP)

Circular RNA CEIP (circCEIP), also known as circFAM53B, is a tumor-specific circular RNA that serves as a template for non-canonical translation into cryptic antigenic peptides. While circular RNAs were long considered non-functional byproducts of splicing, circCEIP has been shown to encode peptides with high binding affinity for HLA class I and II molecules. These peptides effectively prime naive CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, triggering a robust anti-tumor immune response. In clinical studies, high expression of circCEIP and its derived peptides is associated with increased infiltration of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells and improved survival in patients with breast cancer and melanoma. Due to its unique stability and tumor-specific expression, circCEIP is a promising target for the development of cancer vaccines and precision immunotherapies. Its discovery highlights the potential of the non-coding genome to provide a rich source of tumor-specific antigens for therapeutic intervention.

Other names

circFAM53BCircular RNA-Encoded Immunogenic Peptidehsa_circ_0020318circCEMIP (potential confusion)

Translation into cryptic antigenic peptides that bind HLA-I and HLA-II, activating CD4+ and CD8+ T cells to elicit an anti-tumor immune response.