Izhar Muhammad, Lesniak Maciej S
Department of Neurosurgery Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School Boston Massachusetts USA.
Department of Neurosurgery Stanford University School of Medicine Stanford California USA.
J Extracell Biol. 2025 May 6;4(5):e70051. doi: 10.1002/jex2.70051. eCollection 2025 May.
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small particles released by various cells, including cancer cells. They play a significant role in the development of different cancers, including brain metastasis. These EVs transport biomolecular materials such as RNA, DNA, and proteins from tumour cells to other cells, facilitating the spread of primary tumours to the brain tissue. EVs interact with the endothelial cells of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), compromising its integrity and allowing metastatic cells to pass through easily. Additionally, EVs interact with various cells in the brain's microenvironment, creating a conducive environment for incoming metastatic cells. They also influence the immune system within this premetastatic environment, promoting the growth of metastatic cells. This review paper focuses on the research regarding the role of EVs in the development of brain metastasis, including their impact on disrupting the BBB, preparing the premetastatic environment, and modulating the immune system. Furthermore, the paper discusses the potential of EVs as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for brain metastasis.
细胞外囊泡（EVs）是包括癌细胞在内的各种细胞释放的小颗粒。它们在包括脑转移在内的不同癌症的发展中起着重要作用。这些细胞外囊泡将RNA、DNA和蛋白质等生物分子物质从肿瘤细胞运输到其他细胞，促进原发性肿瘤向脑组织扩散。细胞外囊泡与血脑屏障（BBB）的内皮细胞相互作用，破坏其完整性，使转移细胞易于通过。此外，细胞外囊泡与脑微环境中的各种细胞相互作用，为进入的转移细胞创造有利环境。它们还在这个转移前环境中影响免疫系统，促进转移细胞的生长。这篇综述文章重点关注细胞外囊泡在脑转移发展中的作用的研究，包括它们对破坏血脑屏障、准备转移前环境和调节免疫系统的影响。此外，本文还讨论了细胞外囊泡作为脑转移诊断和预后生物标志物的潜力。
