Chen Wei, Mao Yinqi, Liu Chenbin, Wu Han, Chen Shuying
Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China.
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
J Cancer. 2021 Mar 5;12(9):2526-2536. doi: 10.7150/jca.54566. eCollection 2021.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant tumor in the digestive tract with limited therapeutic choices. Intercellular communication among cancer cells and their microenvironment is crucial to disease progression. Exosomes are extracellular vesicles secreted by multiple types of cells into the extracellular space, which contain a variety of active components of secretory cells, including lipids, proteins, RNA and DNA. This vesicle structure involves in the exchange of materials and information between cells and plays an important role in the development of many diseases. Studies have shown that exosomes participate in the communication between HCC cells and non-HCC cells and regulate the occurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Therefore, exosomes may be specific biomarkers for early diagnosis and metastasis of HCC, which are also potential targets for the treatment of HCC. This review summarizes the characteristic, types and biological functions of exosomes and discusses their research progress and application prospects in the diagnosis and treatment of HCC.
肝细胞癌（HCC）是消化道常见的恶性肿瘤，治疗选择有限。癌细胞与其微环境之间的细胞间通讯对疾病进展至关重要。外泌体是多种类型细胞分泌到细胞外空间的细胞外囊泡，其包含分泌细胞的多种活性成分，包括脂质、蛋白质、RNA和DNA。这种囊泡结构参与细胞间的物质和信息交换，并在许多疾病的发展中起重要作用。研究表明，外泌体参与HCC细胞与非HCC细胞之间的通讯，并调节肝细胞癌的发生和发展。因此，外泌体可能是HCC早期诊断和转移的特异性生物标志物，也是HCC治疗的潜在靶点。本文综述了外泌体的特征、类型和生物学功能，并探讨了它们在HCC诊断和治疗中的研究进展及应用前景。
