bims-exocan 2025-09-28 papers

Issue of 2025–09–28
five papers selected by
Muhammad Rizwan, COMSATS University

Clin Chim Acta. 2025 Sep 19. pii: S0009-8981(25)00485-1. [Epub ahead of print] 120606

Exosomal biomarkers in cancer: Insights from Multi-OMIC approaches.

Fatima M Al-Daffaie, Mariam M Al-Daffaie, Ahmad Y Abuhelwa, Mohammad A Y Alqudah, Shereen M Aleidi, Waseem El-Huneidi, Eman Abu-Gharbieh, Karem H Alzoubi, Yasser Bustanji, Mohammad H Semreen.

Extracellular vesicles, particularly exosomes, are emerging as powerful tools in cancer research due to their role in intercellular communication and their capacity to reflect the molecular composition of their originating cells. Multi-omic approaches, including proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, and lipidomics, have revolutionized exosome research, enabling the discovery of novel biomarkers for early cancer detection, prognosis, and therapeutic monitoring. This review highlights the clinical applications of omics-driven exosomal biomarkers, emphasizing their roles in immunotherapy, cancer progression, and metastasis. It also examines how artificial intelligence (AI) facilitates biomarker discovery by enabling the analysis of complex multi-omic datasets. Recent clinical trials discussed here further illustrate the potential of exosomes in non-invasive cancer diagnostics and treatment. Tumor-specific proteins, RNAs, metabolic, and lipid profiles associated with malignancy underscore the utility of exosomes in precision oncology. The continued integration of AI and omics technologies will accelerate their clinical translation in cancer research and personalized medicine.

Keywords: Cancer diagnostics; Exosomal biomarkers; Extracellular vesicles (EVs); Multi-omic approaches; Precision oncology

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cca.2025.120606

Noncoding RNA. 2025 Aug 31. pii: 64. [Epub ahead of print]11(5):

Navigating the Landscape of Exosomal microRNAs: Charting Their Pivotal Role as Biomarkers in Hematological Malignancies.

Manlio Fazio, Fabio Stagno, Giuseppa Penna, Giuseppe Mirabile, Alessandro Allegra.

Under physiological and pathological conditions, all cells release extracellular vesicles named exosomes, which act as transporters of lipidic, protein, and genetic material from parent to recipient cells. Neoplastic cells can secrete higher number of exosomes to exert pro-tumoral effects such as microenvironmental changes, disease progression, immunosuppression and drug-resistance. This holds true for both organ-specific cancers and hematologic malignancies. One of the most important components of exosomal cargo are microRNAs which can mediate all the abovementioned effects. More specifically, microRNAs are small non-coding RNAs, routinely detected through quantitative real-time PCR, which act as translational suppressors by regulating protein-coding genes. Considering their high stability in all body fluids and viability in circulation, research is currently focusing on this type of RNAs for the so called "liquid biopsy", a non-invasive tool for disease diagnosis and longitudinal monitoring. However, several issues remain to be solved including the lack of standardized protocols for exosome isolation and miRNA detection. Starting with this premise, our review aims to provide a wide description of the known microRNA panels employed in the prominent hematological malignancies, which will hopefully redefine the approach to these very challenging diseases in the near future.

Keywords: biomarkers; extracellular vesicles; hematological malignancies; intercellular communication; liquid biopsy; microRNA; microenvironment; target therapy; tumor-derived exosomes

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ncrna11050064

Mol Cell Probes. 2025 Sep 19. pii: S0890-8508(25)00044-1. [Epub ahead of print]84 102051

Exosome biosensors for detection of ovarian cancer.

Asma Vafadar, Negar Nayerain Jazi, Melika Eghtesadi, Sajad Ehtiati, Ahmad Movahedpour, Amir Savardashtaki.

Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the most aggressive gynecologic malignancies, largely due to its asymptomatic progression and frequent diagnosis at an advanced stage. Early detection is essential for improving patient survival rates. Exosomes, small extracellular vesicles secreted by cells, are actively involved in OC progression and have been recognized as potential biomarkers for early diagnosis. Over the past decade, advancements in exosome research have emphasized the need for detection methods that are not only sensitive and reliable but also practical for clinical use. However, conventional approaches often face challenges such as limited sensitivity and complex sample preparation. Biosensors have emerged as a promising alternative, offering benefits such as non-invasiveness and improved analytical performance. This review examines recent developments in electrochemical, optical, and electrical biosensors for detecting OC-related exosomes, discussing their sensitivity, specificity, and potential applications in clinical settings.

Keywords: Biomarker; Biosensors; Electrical; Electrochemical; Exosomes; Optical; Ovarian cancer

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mcp.2025.102051

Cell Signal. 2025 Sep 18. pii: S0898-6568(25)00550-9. [Epub ahead of print]136 112135

Exosomal non-coding RNA as a key mediator of ferroptosis in lung cancer.

Chou-Yi Hsu, Shaker Al-Hasnaawei, Ashok Kumar, Suhas Ballal, Abdulrahman Abdulkaliq Mahmood, Rishiv Kalia, Kamal Kant Joshi, Subhashree Ray, Atreyi Pramanik.

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), particularly microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), play essential roles in the pathogenesis of lung cancer by modulating ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death. Given that lung cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality, elucidating its molecular mechanisms is of paramount importance. Exosomes, which act as carriers of bioactive molecules, facilitate intercellular communication through the transport of ncRNAs. Ferroptosis-associated exosomal ncRNAs influence critical biological processes such as lipid peroxidation, iron homeostasis, and antioxidant defense, thereby modulating tumor progression and therapeutic outcomes. Importantly, these ncRNAs exhibit context-dependent functions, acting as either tumor suppressors or oncogenic drivers. Their dual regulatory capacity underscores their promise as diagnostic biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets. This review highlights the emerging significance of exosomal ncRNAs in ferroptosis regulation within lung cancer and discusses their translational relevance in clinical settings.

Keywords: Exosomal Non-coding RNA; Ferroptosis; Lung cancer

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cellsig.2025.112135

Nanomaterials (Basel). 2025 Sep 15. pii: 1418. [Epub ahead of print]15(18):

Emerging Strategies for Cargo Loading and Engineering of Extracellular Vesicles for Breast Cancer Treatment.

Karan Mediratta, Marena D Diab, Peter Han, Hailey Hu, Lisheng Wang.

Breast cancer has now surpassed lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide. Given the urgent need for more effective treatment, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have gained attention as versatile and promising drug delivery systems. Derived from a variety of cell types, EVs can be loaded with therapeutic cargo or engineered to present specific surface ligands and receptors. These EV modifications enable them to overcome many limitations associated with conventional therapies. In this review, we highlight current methodologies for loading small molecule drugs, RNA-based therapeutics, and proteins into EVs through both pre-isolation (endogenous) and post-isolation (exogenous) methods. We further discuss recent advances in EV surface engineering strategies aimed at improving tumor-specific targeting and immunotherapeutic efficacy in breast cancer.

Keywords: EV engineering/functionalization; breast cancer stem cells (CSCs); drug delivery systems; exosomes; extracellular vesicles (EVs); immunotherapy; lipid nanoparticles (LNPs); targeted therapies; therapeutic cargo loading

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15181418