bims-exocan Biomed News
on Exosomes roles in cancer
Issue of 2025–03–23
seven papers selected by
Muhammad Rizwan, COMSATS University
  1. Exosomal Lipids in Cancer Progression and Metastasis.
  2. Application of engineered exosomes in tumor therapy.
  3. Profiles of urinal exosomal miRNAs derived from bladder cancer.
  4. Role of Exosomal Non-Coding RNAs In Vivo and In Vitro Studies in Colorectal Cancer.
  5. The Pre-metastatic Niche: How Cancer Stem Cell-Derived Exosomal MicroRNA Fit into the Puzzle.
  6. Extracellular vesicles in cancer´s communication: messages we can read and how to answer.
  7. Exosomes derived from natural killer cells: transforming immunotherapy for aggressive breast cancer.
  1. Cancer Med. 2025 Mar;14(6): e70687
    Exosomal Lipids in Cancer Progression and Metastasis.
    Dandugudumula Ramu, Eunjoo Kim.
       BACKGROUND: Metastasis is the primary cause of cancer mortality. It is responsible for 90% of all cancer-related deaths. Intercellular communication is a crucial feature underlying cancer metastasis and progression. Cancerous tumors secrete membrane-derived small extracellular vesicles (30-150 nm) into their extracellular milieu. These tiny organelles, known as exosomes, facilitate intercellular communication by transferring bioactive molecules. These exosomes harbor different cargos, such as proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids, that mediate multifaceted functions in various oncogenic processes. Of note, the amount of lipids in exosomes is multifold higher than that of other cargos. Most studies have investigated the role of exosomes' protein and nucleic acid content in various oncogenic processes, while the role of lipid cargo in cancer pathophysiology remains largely obscure.
    MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted an extensive literature review on the role of exosomes and lipids in cancer progression, specifically addressing the topic of exosomal lipids and their involvement in cancer metastasis and progression.
    CONCLUSIONS: This review aims to shed light on the lipid contents of exosomes in cancer metastasis. In this context, the role of exosomal lipids in signaling pathways, immunomodulation, and energy production for cancer cell survival provides insights into overcoming cancer progression and metastasis.
    Keywords:  cancer metastasis; exosomes; extracellular vesicles; lipids; oncogenic process
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.70687
  2. Am J Transl Res. 2025 ;17(2): 736-747
    Application of engineered exosomes in tumor therapy.
    Chunhui Ma, Wei Tang, Jiaye Wang, Shiyu Yang, Jin Hou, Meng Guo, Lu Hao.
      Malignant tumors pose a significant threat to human health, and conventional cancer therapies are limited by inadequate targeting, leading to severe side effects. Exosomes, as extracellular vesicles mediating intercellular communication, exhibit advantages such as low immunogenicity, high biocompatibility, and low toxicity. After modification, engineered exosomes can be employed as targeted delivery vehicles in tumor therapy. This review summarizes the cellular origin, production methods, engineering strategies, and drug-loading routes of engineered exosomes, discusses their applications in cancer treatment, and delves into the challenges and issues in translating engineered exosomes to clinical practice, aiming to provide insights for exosome engineering research.
    Keywords:  Engineered exosomes; clinical applications; tumor therapy
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.62347/KIXF4662
  3. Cent European J Urol. 2024 ;77(3): 361-374
    Profiles of urinal exosomal miRNAs derived from bladder cancer.
    Ērika Bitiņa-Barlote, Juris Plonis, Margarita Andrejeva, Egils Vjaters, Jānis Gardovskis, Zanda Daneberga, Edvīns Miklaševičs, Miki Nakazawa-Miklaševiča.
       Introduction: Exosomes contain nucleic acids and proteins inside of them. These are suggested as cell-cell communication materials and it is considered that they can modulate the status of other cells.
    Material and methods: To understand the bladder cancer (BC) related exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs), we compared the 752 urine exosomal miRNAs in healthy control (n = 7), low grade (LG) BC (n = 6) and high grade (HG) BC (n = 6) by RT-qPCR.
    Results: The differential expressing (DE) urine exosomal miRNAs (2 > fold regulation) were 96 and 78 in LG and HG, respectively. Our exosomal miRNAs profiles cover many miRNAs which have been reported in BC patients' tissues and other biofluids. Most DE exosomal miRNAs were up-regulated in the profiles. Seven up-regulated exosomal miRNAs in the LG group (miR-28-5p, miR-16-5p, miR-28-3p, miR-24-3p, miR-25-3p, miR-19b-3p and miR10b-5p) and 3 miRNAs in the HG group (miR-150-5p, miR-28-5p and miR28-3p) were found as directly TP53 targeting. Twenty-two and 18 PTEN targeting miRNAs were observed in up-regulated miRNAs of LG and HG. The target genes of these exosomal miRNAs and their interaction network predicted that the TP53 is the strongest hub gene in both BC groups exosomal miRNA networks. Several DE miRNAs were found that could potentially be used as biomarkers for the diagnosis of BC.
    Conclusions: Profiles of urinal exosomal miRNAs derived from BC manifested potentially epigenetic regulation of the TP53 and PTEN genes as compared to other oncogenes and tumour suppressors.
    Keywords:  biofluids; biomarker; bladder cancer; liquid biopsy; miRNAs; urine exosomes
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.5173/ceju.2023.279.R1
  4. Microrna. 2025 Mar 18.
    Role of Exosomal Non-Coding RNAs In Vivo and In Vitro Studies in Colorectal Cancer.
    Mohamed Y Zaky, Hadeer M Hamdalla.
      Colorectal Cancer (CRC) is the third most lethal cancer worldwide. Complex intercel-lular communication within the tumor microenvironment influences cancer progression, thera-peutic resistance, with Exosomes (Exos) and Circulating Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) playing a critical role in this communication. Exosomes can impact recipient cells by carrying various bio-molecules, promoting changes that support cancer progression. This review focuses specifically on exosome-derived noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) in CRC, including microRNAs (miRNAs]), circular RNAs (circRNAs), and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), as significant regulators of cancer biology. The roles of these exosomal ncRNAs in CRC are central to tumor progression, metastasis, and treatment resistance. This review delves into specific molecular mechanisms, such as exosomal lncRNA H19, which enhances CRC chemoresistance by activating the β-catenin pathway, and exo-miR-21, which is implicated in 5-FU chemoresistance. We also high-light emerging evidence on exosomal circRNAs like circ_0006174, linked to doxorubicin re-sistance through miR-1205/CCND2 axis modulation. These exo-ncRNAs have shown promise as biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets, with studies indicating their diagnostic and prog-nostic capabilities in CRC patient cohorts. By examining recent in vivo and in vitro studies, we offer a comprehensive understanding of exosomal ncRNAs' roles in CRC pathogenesis and po-tential applications in clinical trials.
    Keywords:  and chemoresistance.; circular RNAs; colorectal cancer therapy; exosomal biomarkers; lncRNAs; miRNAs
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.2174/0122115366331268250303031240
  5. Stem Cell Rev Rep. 2025 Mar 17.
    The Pre-metastatic Niche: How Cancer Stem Cell-Derived Exosomal MicroRNA Fit into the Puzzle.
    Behjat Kheiri Yeghaneh Azar, Faezeh Vakhshiteh.
      Cancer metastasis is a complicated biological process that critically affects cancer progression, patient outcomes, and treatment plans. A significant step in metastasis is the formation of a pre-metastatic niche (PMN). A small subset of cells within tumors, known as cancer stem cells (CSCs), possess unique characteristics including, differentiation into different cell types within the tumor, self-renewal, and resistance to conventional therapies, that enable them to initiate tumors and drive metastasis. PMN plays an important role in preparing secondary organs for the arrival and proliferation of CSCs, thereby facilitating metastasis. CSC-derived exosomes are crucial components in the complex interplay between CSCs and the tumor microenvironment. These exosomes function as transporters of various substances that can promote cancer progression, metastasis, and modulation of pre-metastatic environments by delivering microRNA (miRNA, miR) cargo. This review aims to illustrate how exosomal miRNAs (exo-miRs) secreted by CSCs can predispose PMN and promote angiogenesis and metastasis.
    Keywords:  Angiogenesis; Cancer stem cells; Exosomes; Metastasis; MiRNA; Pre-metastatic niche
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s12015-025-10866-z
  6. Mol Cancer. 2025 Mar 19. 24(1): 86
    Extracellular vesicles in cancer´s communication: messages we can read and how to answer.
    Alena Semeradtova, Michaela Liegertova, Regina Herma, Magdalena Capkova, Chiara Brignole, Genny Del Zotto.
      Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are emerging as critical mediators of intercellular communication in the tumor microenvironment (TME), profoundly influencing cancer progression. These nano-sized vesicles, released by both tumor and stromal cells, carry a diverse cargo of proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids, reflecting the dynamic cellular landscape and mediating intricate interactions between cells. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the biogenesis, composition, and functional roles of EVs in cancer, highlighting their significance in both basic research and clinical applications. We discuss how cancer cells manipulate EV biogenesis pathways to produce vesicles enriched with pro-tumorigenic molecules, explore the specific contributions of EVs to key hallmarks of cancer, such as angiogenesis, metastasis, and immune evasion, emphasizing their role in shaping TME and driving therapeutic resistance. Concurrently, we submit recent knowledge on how the cargo of EVs can serve as a valuable source of biomarkers for minimally invasive liquid biopsies, and its therapeutic potential, particularly as targeted drug delivery vehicles and immunomodulatory agents, showcasing their promise for enhancing the efficacy and safety of cancer treatments. By deciphering the intricate messages carried by EVs, we can gain a deeper understanding of cancer biology and develop more effective strategies for early detection, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy, paving the way for a new era of personalized and precise cancer medicine with the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes.
    Keywords:  Biomarkers; Cancer; Extracellular vesicles; Immune evasion; Liquid biopsy; Metastasis; Targeted therapy; Tumor microenvironment
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s12943-025-02282-1
  7. Med Oncol. 2025 Mar 18. 42(4): 114
    Exosomes derived from natural killer cells: transforming immunotherapy for aggressive breast cancer.
    Abdulmalik Saleh Alfawaz Altamimi, M Arockia Babu, Muhammad Afzal, Ashok Kumar Bishoyi, R Roopashree, Suman Saini, R S K Sharma, Piyus Kumar Pathak, Ashish Singh Chauhan, Kavita Goyal, Haider Ali, Nawaid Hussain Khan, Ashok Kumar Balaraman.
      Natural killer cell-derived exosomes (NK-Exos) hold great promise as immune modulators and immunotherapeutics against cancer due to their intrinsically latent anti-tumor effects. They use these nanosized vesicles to deliver cytotoxic molecules, such as perforin, granzymes, and miRNAs, directly to cancer cells to kill them, avoiding immune suppression. NK-Exos has particular efficacy for treating aggressive breast cancer by modulating the TME to activate the immune response and suppress immunosuppressive factors. Bioengineering advances have extended the therapeutic potential of NK-Exos, which permits precise tumor cell targeting and efficient delivery of therapeutic payloads, including small RNAs and chemotherapeutic agents. In engineered NK-Exos, sensitization of cancer cells to apoptosis, reduction of tumor growth, and resistance to drugs have been demonstrated to be highly effective. When combined, NK-Exos synergizes with radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or checkpoint inhibitors, enhancing therapeutic efficacy, and minimizing systemic toxicity. This review emphasizes the critical role of NK-Exos in breast cancer treatment, their integration into combination therapies, and the need for further research to overcome existing limitations and fully realize their clinical potential.
    Keywords:  Breast cancer; Cancer immunotherapy; Exosomes; Extracellular vesicles; Natural killer cells
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-025-02647-y
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