Exosomes and Cell Communication: From Tumour-Derived Exosomes and Their Role in Tumour Progression to the Use of Exosomal Cargo for Cancer Treatment

Abstract

Exosomes are nano-vesicle-shaped particles secreted by various cells, including cancer cells. Recently, the interest in exosomes among cancer researchers has grown enormously for their many potential roles, and many studies have focused on the bioactive molecules that they export as exosomal cargo. These molecules can function as biomarkers in diagnosis or play a relevant role in modulating the immune system and in promoting apoptosis, cancer development and progression. Others, considering exosomes potentially helpful for cancer treatment, have started to investigate them in experimental therapeutic trials. In this review, first, the biogenesis of exosomes and their main characteristics was briefly described. Then, the capability of tumour-derived exosomes and oncosomes in tumour microenvironments (TMEs) remodelling and pre-metastatic niche formation, as well as their interference with the immune system during cancer development, was examined. Finally, the potential role of exosomes for cancer therapy was discussed. Particularly, in addition, their use as carriers of natural substances and drugs with anticancer properties or carriers of boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) and anticancer vaccines for immunotherapy, exosomes as biological reprogrammers of cancer cells have gained increased consensus. The principal aspects and the rationale of this intriguing therapeutic proposal are briefly considered.

Exosomes: Potential Disease Biomarkers and New Therapeutic Targets

“…Finally, it has been identified that exosomes can control tumor growth due to certain specific proteins and RNAs that are transferred to malignant cells. This shows the role of exosomes as biological reprogrammers of tumor cells [242]. It has been shown that the exosomal transfer of miR-139-5p into bladder cancer cells has role in regulating tumorigenesis.…”

“…Numerous studies have aimed to evaluate exosomes as potential delivery systems for chemotherapeutics with anticancer properties, and as biological reprogrammers of cancer cells [242]. Thus, Han D, et al compared the antitumoral efficacy of paclitaxel encapsulated by electroporation in natural killer cell-derived exosomes (PTX-NK-Exos) as compared with free paclitaxel (PTX).…”

DC-Derived Exosomes for Cancer Immunotherapy

“…The capacity of DCexos to prime T cells-especially antigen-specific CD8 T cells-and their ability to shuttle different biomolecules, including proteins (such as antigens and cytokines) and RNAs to modulate immune responses, coupled with their amenability to modification of their composition and cargos, have presented DCexo-based vaccines as much improved alternative to DC cell-based vaccines [44,[71][72][73][74]. Additionally, DCexos possess other advantages over DC(cell)-based vaccines.…”

Role of Extracellular Vesicles on Cancer Lymphangiogenesis and Lymph Node Metastasis

“…Tumor cell-secreted cytokines, growth factors, and EVs can reshape the extracellular matrix, regulate and reprogram the microenvironment of LNs and other distant organs, and provide a suitable niche for the spread of tumor cells (44)(45)(46). TEVs are considered to inhibit innate immune responses by mobilizing bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and activating tumorrelated macrophages and neutrophils (47).…”