Search

The vast majority of cancer-related deaths are due to metastasis of the primary tumor that develops years to decades after apparent cures. However, it is difficult to effectively prevent or treat cancer metastasis. Recent studies have shown that communication between cancer cells and surrounding cells enables cancer progression and metastasis. The comprehensive term "extracellular vesicles" (EVs) describes lipid bilayer vesicles that are secreted to outside cells; EVs are well-established mediators of cell-to-cell communication. EVs participate in cancer progression and metastasis by transferring bioactive molecules, such as proteins and RNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs), between cancer and various cells in local and distant microenvironments. Clinically, EVs functioning as diagnostic biomarkers, therapeutic targets, or even as anticancer drug-delivery vehicles have been emphasized as a result of their unique biological and pathophysiological characteristics. The potential therapeutic effects of EVs in cancer treatment are rapidly emerging and represent a new and important area of research. This review focuses on the therapeutic potential of EVs and discusses their utility for the inhibition of cancer progression, including metastasis.

Intercellular communication plays an important role in cancer initiation and progression through secretory molecules, including growth factors and cytokines. Recent advances have revealed that small membrane vesicles, termed extracellular vesicles (EVs), served as a regulatory agent in the intercellular communication of cancer. EVs enable the transfer of functional molecules, including proteins, mRNA and microRNAs (miRNAs), into recipient cells. Cancer cells utilize EVs to dictate the unique phenotype of surrounding cells, thereby promoting cancer progression. Against such "education" by cancer cells, non-tumoral cells suppress cancer initiation and progression via EVs. Therefore, researchers consider EVs to be important cues to clarify the molecular mechanisms of cancer biology. Understanding the functions of EVs in cancer progression is an important aspect of cancer biology that has not been previously elucidated. In this review, we summarize experimental data that indicate the pivotal roles of EVs in cancer progression.

Extracellular vesicles (EV), known as exosomes and microvesicles, serve as versatile intercellular communication vehicles. Increasing evidence has shown that cancer cell-derived EV carry pathogenic components, such as proteins, messenger RNA (mRNA), microRNA (miRNA), DNA, lipids and transcriptional factors, that can mediate paracrine signaling in the tumor microenvironment. These data suggest that EV transfer of cancer pathogenic components enable long-distance crosstalk between cancer cells and distant organs, resulting in the promotion of the initial steps for pre-metastatic niche formation. Understanding the metastatic mechanisms through EV transfer may open up a new avenue for cancer therapeutic strategies. Furthermore, the circulating EV have also been of interest as a source for liquid biopsies. EV in body fluids provide a reliable source of miRNA and proteins for cancer biomarkers. The tumor-specific components in EV effectively provide various messages on the physiological and pathological status of cancer patients. Although many researchers are searching for EV biomarkers using miRNA microarrays and proteome analyses, the detection technology for circulating EV in body fluids has not yet reached the point of clinical application. In this review, we summarize recent findings regarding EV function, specifically in metastasis through the transfer of cancer pathogenic components. Furthermore, we highlight the potential of using circulating EV for cancer diagnosis., (© 2016 The Authors. Cancer Science published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.)

Numerous studies have shown that non-cell-autonomous regulation of cancer cells is an important aspect of tumorigenesis. Cancer cells need to communicate with stromal cells by humoral factors such as VEGF, FGFs, and Wnt in order to survive. Recently, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have also been shown to be involved in cell-cell communication between cancer cells and the surrounding microenvironment and to be important for the development of cancer. In addition, these EVs contain small noncoding RNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs), which contribute to the malignancy of cancer cells. Here, we provide an overview of current research on EVs, especially miRNAs in EVs. We also propose strategies to treat cancers by targeting EVs around cancer cells.

Purpose: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) such as exosomes and microvesicles are phospholipid bilayer-enclosed vesicles that are recognized as novel tools for intercellular communications and as biomarkers for several diseases. They contain various DNAs, proteins, mRNAs, and microRNAs (miRNAs) that have potential diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Their biological roles have attracted significant interest in the pulmonary field because their vesicle composition and miRNA content have the ability to transfer biological information to recipient cells and play an important role in pulmonary inflammatory and allergic diseases. Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways, and it is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms and reversible airflow obstruction. The purpose of this review was to discuss the function of EVs and their miRNAs in asthma, with a focus on the biological properties and biogenesis of EVs, their pathophysiologic roles, and their potential use as biomarkers and therapies for asthma., Methods: We review the findings from several articles on EVs and their miRNAs in asthma and provide illustrative references., Findings: A few studies have reported on the biological function of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid-derived EVs in asthmatic progression. In the lungs, EVs might regulate airway inflammation and allergic reactions through their paracrine effects. Furthermore, circulating miRNAs have been found to be associated with EVs., Implication: EV-mediated miRNAs can be used as biomarkers in asthma., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small particles with lipid bilayer membranes that are secreted by all cell types and are widely known as crucial intercellular communication mediators, shuttling biologically active molecules. The bone is a typically preferred site of cancer metastasis due to its unique cellular compositions and dynamics. Bone cell-derived EVs serve as regulators that orchestrate harmonious bone homeostasis. Cancer cells secrete specific EVs in a series of the bone metastatic process to dominate the bone microenvironment. Additionally, cancer cell-related EVs contribute to pre-metastatic niche formation, bone homeostasis disruption, and tumor bone progression and survival. Here, we investigated recent studies on EV-mediated crosstalk in the bone tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, this review aimed to elucidate the EV-based therapeutic perspectives for bone metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Despite significant advances in lung cancer research and novel therapies, a better understanding of the disease is crucially needed to facilitate early detection and appropriate diagnoses and to improve treatment outcomes. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), including exosomes, microvesicles, and apoptotic bodies, are released from all tested cell types and modulate cell-cell communication. EVs transfer a wide variety of molecules, such as proteins, messenger RNAs and microRNAs. Emerging data suggest that EVs play an important role in lung cancer pathogenesis and may have potential as biomarkers and therapeutics. Here, we review current research on EVs in lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanometer-sized membranous vesicles and are involved in cell-to-cell communication. EVs contain several types of functional molecules, such as proteins, mRNAs, and microRNAs (miRNAs). Over the past several years, EVs have emerged as potential tools for a drug delivery system (DDS) that can target organs or cells. EVs have a function of organ tropism and are naturally occurring from cells. Therefore, EVs have expected as naturally DDSs, which have the organ tropism and a low side effect. Actually, some reports showed that EVs delivered drugs to specific organ. However, despite observed the organ tropism, the mechanisms of organ tropism of EVs are still unclear. Moreover, preservation and efficient collection of EVs are desired to be investigated. Here, we provide an overview of the methods for using EVs as DDSs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) deliver biologically active cargos from donor cells to recipient cells for intercellular communication. Since the existence of RNA cargo was discovered, EVs have been considered to be useful drug-delivery systems. Specifically, EVs from bovine milk (mEV) are one of the most promising platforms, since bovine milk is a scalable source of EVs for mass production. However, it is still difficult to isolate pure EVs from bovine milk owing to the complexity of raw materials. Furthermore, the biocompatibility and immunotoxicity of mEVs are still unclear. In this study, we developed a new method for isolating bovine milk-derived EVs by employing acid treatment and ultracentrifugation. Isolated mEVs are spherical in shape, measure 120 nm in diameter and contain typical EV marker proteins, such as tetraspanins. Compared with the previously reported method, our method can isolate purer mEVs. When mEVs are contacted with the mouse macrophage cell line Raw264.7, mEVs are readily taken up by the cells without a cytotoxic effect, suggesting that mEVs can deliver the cargo molecules into cells. While systemic administration of mEVs into mice resulted in the absence of systemic toxicity, certain types of cytokines were slightly induced. No anaphylaxis effect was observed after serial administration of mEVs in mice. Thus, mEVs isolated using our method are well tolerated in vivo and may be useful for the drug-delivery application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous studies have shown that non-cell-autonomous regulation of cancer cells is an important aspect of tumorigenesis. Cancer cells need to communicate with stromal cells by humoral factors such as VEGF, FGFs, and Wnt in order to survive. Recently, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have also been shown to be involved in cell-cell communication between cancer cells and the surrounding microenvironment and to be important for the development of cancer. In addition, these EVs contain small noncoding RNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs), which contribute to the malignancy of cancer cells. Here, we provide an overview of current research on EVs, especially miRNAs in EVs. We also propose strategies to treat cancers by targeting EVs around cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]