bims-exocan 2025-03-16 papers

Issue of 2025–03–16
five papers selected by
Muhammad Rizwan, COMSATS University

FASEB J. 2025 Mar 31. 39(6): e70456

Potential biological roles of exosomal non-coding RNAs in breast cancer.

Xiang Li, Junyi Gong, Xiang Ni, Junli Yin, Yi Zhang, Zheng Lv.

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common malignant tumors among women, accounting for 24.5% of all cancer cases and leading to 15.5% of cancer-related mortality. The treatment of BC patients remains a significant challenge due to the disease's high invasiveness, elevated metastatic potential, substantial drug resistance, and high recurrence rate. Exosomes, which are lipid-bilayer extracellular vesicles ranging in size from 30 to 150 nm, mediate intercellular communication between tumor cells and surrounding cells in the tumor microenvironment by transferring various bioactive substances, such as proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Recently, growing evidence has demonstrated that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are enriched in exosomes and play a critical role in regulating cell proliferation, metastasis, drug resistance, and angiogenesis in BC. Consequently, exosomal ncRNAs have emerged as a promising therapeutic target for BC treatment, given their involvement in multiple processes of cancer progression. This review provides a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of emerging exosomal ncRNAs in BC, highlighting their potential biological mechanisms and advanced applications in BC treatment.

Keywords: breast cancer; exosomal ncRNAs; exosomes; non‐coding RNAs

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1096/fj.202500022R

Pathol Res Pract. 2025 Mar 08. pii: S0344-0338(25)00097-4. [Epub ahead of print]269 155905

The hidden messengers: Tumor microenvironment-derived exosomal ceRNAs in gastric cancer progression.

Mohamed J Saadh, Hanan Hassan Ahmed, Radhwan Abdul Kareem, Ashok Kumar Bishoyi, R Roopashree, Debasish Shit, Renu Arya, Kamal Kant Joshi, Hayder Naji Sameer, Ahmed Yaseen, Zainab H Athab, Mohaned Adil.

The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a crucial role in the development and progression of gastric cancer (GC). The TME comprises a network of cancer cells, immune cells, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and extracellular matrix components, which provide a supportive niche for cancer cells. This study investigates the role of TME-derived exosomal competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs), particularly long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), as major regulating agents in GC development. Exosomal ceRNAs control gene expression across several TME components, amplifying cancer hallmarks like cell proliferation, invasion, metastases, and chemoresistance. They promote dynamic interplay between cancer cells and adjacent stromal cells, enabling tumor development through immune suppression, angiogenesis, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Exosomal ceRNAs can modify the TME, creating a pro-tumorigenic milieu and preparing cancer cells to avoid immunological responses, defy death, and adapt to therapeutic pressures. This review highlights the understudied interactions between the TME and exosomal ceRNAs in gastric cancer and emphasizes their potential utility as diagnostic and therapeutic tools.

Keywords: Chemoresistance; Competing endogenous RNAs; Exosomes; Gastric cancer; Immune evasion; Tumor microenvironment; ceRNAs; circRNAs; lncRNAs

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prp.2025.155905

Int J Biol Sci. 2025 ;21(5): 2330-2345

Functions and Clinical Applications of Exosomes in Gastric Cancer.

Zhi Zheng, Yuhao Zhai, Xiaosheng Yan, Zimeng Wang, Haiqiao Zhang, Rui Xu, Xiaoye Liu, Jun Cai, Zhongtao Zhang, Yuxi Shang, Jun Zhang, Jie Yin.

Gastric cancer is a common and highly invasive type of malignant tumor, the pathogenesis of which remains unclarified. However, exosomes are now known to play important roles in gastric cancer development and treatment. Cells use exosomes for the packaging and transportation of a variety of bioactive molecules, such as proteins, double-stranded DNA, and micro-ribonucleic acids, to other sites. Exosome-specific membrane structures and exosomal contents are widely involved in processes that facilitate material exchange and intercellular communication between gastric cancer cells. They help in forming a pre-metastatic microenvironment, promoting the proliferation and apoptosis of gastric cancer cells, and driving invasion, metastasis, and resistance to anti-tumor drugs. In this review, we aimed to summarize the findings of research articles indexed in the PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases and published up to May 31, 2024, on the role of exosomes in the pathogenesis of gastric cancer and their potential clinical applications in its treatment. Thus, research on exosomes may lead to breakthroughs in the early diagnosis of gastric cancer and identification of novel treatments.

Keywords: advancement; clinical application; exosomes; gastric cancer; mechanism

DOI: https://doi.org/10.7150/ijbs.98087

Mech Ageing Dev. 2025 Mar 10. pii: S0047-6374(25)00021-1. [Epub ahead of print] 112045

Exosomal Dynamics: Bridging the Gap Between Cellular Senescence and Cancer Therapy.

Babu Santha Aswani, Anjana Sajeev, Mangala Hegde, Anamika Mishra, Mohamed Abbas, Thafasalijyas Vayalpurayil, Gautam Sethi, Ajaikumar B Kunnumakkara.

Cancer remains one of the most devastating diseases, severely affecting public health and contributing to economic instability. Researchers worldwide are dedicated to developing effective therapeutics to target cancer cells. One promising strategy involves inducing cellular senescence, a complex state in which cells exit the cell cycle. Senescence has profound effects on both physiological and pathological processes, influencing cellular systems through secreted factors that affect surrounding and distant cells. Among these factors are exosomes, small extracellular vesicles that play crucial roles in cellular communication, development, and defense, and can contribute to pathological conditions. Recently, there has been increasing interest in engineering exosomes as precise drug delivery vehicles, capable of targeting specific cells or intracellular components. Studies have emphasized the significant role of exosomes from senescent cells in cancer progression and therapy. Chemotherapeutic agents, for instance, can alter the tumor microenvironment, induce senescence, and trigger immune responses through exosome-mediated cargo transfer. This review explores the intricate relationship between cellular senescence, exosomes, and cancer, examining how different therapeutics can eliminate cancer cells or promote drug resistance. It also investigates the molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways driving these processes, highlighting current challenges and proposing future perspectives to uncover new therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment.

Keywords: Cancer therapy; Chemoresistance; Exosomes; Senescence; Senotherapeutics

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mad.2025.112045

Cytokine. 2025 Mar 11. pii: S1043-4666(25)00061-4. [Epub ahead of print]189 156914

Exosome-mediated communication between T cells and dendritic cells: Implications for therapeutic strategies.

Tahereh Kashkoulinejad Kouhi.

Cell communication is crucial for coordinating physiological functions in multicellular organisms, with exosomes playing a significant role. Exosomes mediate intercellular communication by transporting proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids between cells. These small, membrane-bound vesicles, derived from the endosomal pathway, are integral to various biological processes, including signal transmission and cellular behavior modulation. Recent advances highlight the potential of exosomes, especially dendritic cell-derived exosomes (DEXs), for diagnostic and therapeutic applications, particularly in cancer immunotherapy. DEXs are distinguished by their ability to present antigens and stimulate immune responses more effectively than exosomes from other cell types. They carry a cargo rich in immunostimulatory molecules and MHC-peptide complexes, which facilitate robust T-cell activation and enhance tumor-specific immune responses. The unique properties of DEXs, such as their ability to cross biological barriers and resist tumor-induced immunosuppression, position them as promising candidates for therapeutic applications. Here, I review the reports on the bidirectional interaction between dendritic cells and T cells through exosomes and their role in medicine.

Keywords: Cell communication; DEX; Dendritic cells; Exosome

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cyto.2025.156914