Department of Medical Genetics, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
Research and Clinical Center for Infertility, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
IUBMB Life. 2019 Nov;71(11):1672-1684. doi: 10.1002/iub.2116. Epub 2019 Jul 19.
Breast cancer (BC), as a heterogeneous disease, is considered as one of the most common malignancies in women worldwide. The resistance of BC cells to therapeutic agents has remained a big challenge in the treatment of BC patients. Some factors such as cytokines, exosomes, and soluble receptors were recognized as crucial agents involved in the development of drug resistance. However, the exact mechanisms underlying the drug resistance is still unknown. There is growing evidence to support the emerging roles of exosomes, especially exosomal miRNAs, in tumor initiation, angiogenesis, proliferation, migration, invasion, metastasis, and drug resistance. Therefore, identification of BC-specific exosomal miRNAs and their underlying mechanisms would be helpful to define sensitivity to therapeutic drugs and establish an appropriate therapeutic strategy. This review focuses mainly on the roles of exosomal miRNAs and their associated mechanisms in the resistance of BC cells to therapeutic agents, as well as critically examines the potential of these macromolecules as a treatment biomarker in BC patients.
乳腺癌（BC）作为一种异质性疾病，被认为是全球女性最常见的恶性肿瘤之一。BC 细胞对治疗药物的耐药性仍然是治疗 BC 患者的一大挑战。一些因素，如细胞因子、外泌体和可溶性受体，被认为是参与耐药性发展的关键因素。然而，导致耐药性的确切机制尚不清楚。越来越多的证据支持外泌体，特别是外泌体 miRNAs，在肿瘤发生、血管生成、增殖、迁移、侵袭、转移和耐药性中的新兴作用。因此，鉴定 BC 特异性外泌体 miRNAs 及其潜在机制将有助于确定对治疗药物的敏感性，并制定合适的治疗策略。本综述主要关注外泌体 miRNAs 及其相关机制在 BC 细胞对治疗药物耐药性中的作用，并批判性地检查了这些大分子作为 BC 患者治疗生物标志物的潜力。
