Message in the bottle: regulation of the tumor microenvironment via exosome-driven proteolysis

Exosomal Cargo in Ovarian Cancer Dissemination

Ovarian cancer (OC) has the highest mortality rate among all gynecologic cancers and is characterized by early peritoneal spread. The growth and development of OC are associated with the formation of ascitic fluid, creating a unique tumor microenvironment. Understanding the mechanisms of tumor progression is crucial in identifying new diagnostic biomarkers and developing novel therapeutic strategies. Exosomes, lipid bilayer vesicles measuring 30-150 nm in size, are known to establish a crucial link between malignant cells and their microenvironment. Additionally, the confirmed involvement of exosomes in carcinogenesis enables them to mediate the invasion, migration, metastasis, and angiogenesis of tumor cells. Functionally active non-coding RNAs (such as microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, circRNAs), proteins, and lipid rafts transported within exosomes can activate numerous signaling pathways and modify gene expression. This review aims to expand our understanding of the role of exosomes and their contents in OC carcinogenesis processes such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), angiogenesis, vasculogenic mimicry, tumor cell proliferation, and peritoneal spread. It also discusses the potential for utilizing exosomal cargo to develop novel "liquid biopsy" biomarkers for early OC diagnosis.

Crosstalk between colorectal cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts in the tumor microenvironment mediated by exosomal noncoding RNAs

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignant tumor of the digestive system, and its morbidity rates are increasing worldwide. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), as part of the tumor microenvironment (TME), are not only closely linked to normal fibroblasts, but also can secrete a variety of substances (including exosomes) to participate in the regulation of the TME. Exosomes can play a key role in intercellular communication by delivering intracellular signaling substances (e.g., proteins, nucleic acids, non-coding RNAs), and an increasing number of studies have shown that non-coding RNAs of exosomal origin from CAFs are not only closely associated with the formation of the CRC microenvironment, but also increase the ability of CRC to grow in metastasis, mediate tumor immunosuppression, and are involved in the mechanism of drug resistance in CRC patients receiving. It is also involved in the mechanism of drug resistance after radiotherapy in CRC patients. In this paper, we review the current status and progress of research on CAFs-derived exosomal non-coding RNAs in CRC.