作为非编码RNA家族的一个独特成员，循环RNA（circRNA）由单链、共价闭合结构生成，在哺乳动物的细胞和组织中普遍存在。由于其非典型的环状结构，它曾被传统上认为是无关紧要的黑暗物质，但在过去十年的研究中已经证明，这种丰富、结构稳定和组织特异性的RNA在癌症、神经系统疾病、糖尿病和心血管疾病（CVDs）等各种疾病中变得越来越重要。因此，circRNAs控制的调节通路通过其作为miRNA海绵、蛋白质海绵和蛋白质支架的功能，在CVDs的发生和病理过程中广泛涉及。为了更好地理解circRNAs及其在CVDs中的复杂调节网络的作用，我们总结了它们的生物发生和功能以及CVDs中circRNAs的最新研究，希望为寻找有前途的CVDs生物标志物和治疗策略铺平道路。© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

As a distinctive member of the noncoding RNA family, circular RNAs (circRNAs) are generated from single-stranded, covalently closed structures and are ubiquitous in mammalian cells and tissues. Due to its atypical circular architecture, it was conventionally deemed insignificant dark matter for a prolonged duration. Nevertheless, studies conducted over the last decade have demonstrated that this abundant, structurally stable and tissue-specific RNA has been increasingly relevant in diverse diseases, including cancer, neurological disorders, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Therefore, regulatory pathways controlled by circRNAs are widely involved in the occurrence and pathological processes of CVDs through their function as miRNA sponges, protein sponges and protein scaffolds. To better understand the role of circRNAs and their complex regulatory networks in CVDs, we summarize current knowledge of their biogenesis and function and the latest research on circRNAs in CVDs, with the hope of paving the way for the identification of promising biomarkers and therapeutic strategies for CVDs.© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.