Tumor-derived exosomal components: the multifaceted roles and mechanisms in breast cancer metastasis

Abstract

Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequently invasive malignancy and the leading cause of tumor-related mortality among women worldwide. Cancer metastasis is a complex, multistage process, which eventually causes tumor cells to colonize and grow at the metastatic site. Distant organ metastases are the major obstacles to the management of advanced BC patients. Notably, exosomes are defined as specialized membrane-enclosed extracellular vesicles with specific biomarkers, which are found in a wide variety of body fluids. Recent studies have demonstrated that exosomes are essential mediators in shaping the tumor microenvironment and BC metastasis. The transferred tumor-derived exosomes modify the capability of invasive behavior and organ-specific metastasis in recipient cells. BC exosomal components, mainly including noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), proteins, lipids, are the most investigated components in BC metastasis. In this review, we have emphasized the multifaceted roles and mechanisms of tumor-derived exosomes in BC metastasis based on these important components. The underlying mechanisms mainly include the invasion behavior change, tumor vascularization, the disruption of the vascular barrier, and the colonization of the targeted organ. Understanding the significance of tumor-derived exosomal components in BC metastasis is critical for yielding novel routes of BC intervention.

Exosomal microRNAs synergistically trigger stromal fibroblasts in breast cancer

“… 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 In this scenario, extracellular vesicles, such as exosomes, have been found to be important mediators, particularly in the crosstalk between cancer and the TME through transfer of biological molecules, such as proteins, lipids, mRNAs, and microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs), that sustain cancer development and progression. 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 …”

Recent Advances in Exosome-Based Drug Delivery for Cancer Therapy

“…For the therapeutic applications, the choice of exosome source must be made very carefully. Tumor-derived exosomes show remarkable targeting ability against cancer cells and they are loaded with bioactive cargoes that have potential to directly or indirectly promote cancer growth [155,156]. In this regard, techniques to identify and remove or add exosomal components are critical for exosome-based drug delivery for cancer treatment, which might enable us to address barriers arising from heterogeneous exosome subpopulations in the future.…”

Extracellular Vesicles: The Landscape in the Progression, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

“…Metastasis is a multistep event that tumor cells experience an evolutionary process, comprising the dissemination from primary sites, intravasation into the lymphatic vessels and blood circulation, and ultimate colonization at distant organs and secondary tumor formation (Yufang Tan et al, 2021). It is well-documented that EVs are crucial participators in conditioning the pre-metastatic niche microenvironment, highlighting the importance of EV biogenesis and constituents in TNBC metastasis (Becker et al, 2016).…”