Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, 12 Urumqi Road (M), Shanghai, 200040, China.
Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, 131 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
J Hematol Oncol. 2020 Nov 10;13(1):152. doi: 10.1186/s13045-020-00987-y.
Exosomes are a subset of extracellular vesicles that carry specific combinations of proteins, nucleic acids, metabolites, and lipids. Mounting evidence suggests that exosomes participate in intercellular communication and act as important molecular vehicles in the regulation of numerous physiological and pathological processes, including cancer development. Exosomes are released by various cell types under both normal and pathological conditions, and they can be found in multiple bodily fluids. Moreover, exosomes carrying a wide variety of important macromolecules provide a window into altered cellular or tissue states. Their presence in biological fluids renders them an attractive, minimally invasive approach for liquid biopsies with potential biomarkers for cancer diagnosis, prediction, and surveillance. Due to their biocompatibility and low immunogenicity and cytotoxicity, exosomes have potential clinical applications in the development of innovative therapeutic approaches. Here, we summarize recent advances in various technologies for exosome isolation for cancer research. We outline the functions of exosomes in regulating tumor metastasis, drug resistance, and immune modulation in the context of cancer development. Finally, we discuss prospects and challenges for the clinical development of exosome-based liquid biopsies and therapeutics.
外泌体是细胞外囊泡的一个亚群，携带蛋白质、核酸、代谢物和脂质的特定组合。越来越多的证据表明，外泌体参与细胞间通讯，并在包括癌症发展在内的众多生理和病理过程的调节中充当重要的分子载体。外泌体在正常和病理条件下均由多种细胞类型释放，并且可以在多种体液中找到。此外，携带各种重要大分子的外泌体为了解细胞或组织状态的改变提供了一个窗口。它们在生物体液中的存在使其成为一种有吸引力的、微创的液体活检方法，具有用于癌症诊断、预测和监测的潜在生物标志物。由于其生物相容性、低免疫原性和细胞毒性，外泌体在创新治疗方法的开发中具有潜在的临床应用。在此，我们总结了癌症研究中外泌体分离的各种技术的最新进展。我们概述了外泌体在癌症发展背景下调节肿瘤转移、耐药性和免疫调节方面的功能。最后，我们讨论了基于外泌体的液体活检和治疗方法临床开发的前景和挑战。
