Engineered Exosomes Loaded with miR-563 Inhibit Lung Cancer Growth

Extracellular vesicles in cancer: challenges and opportunities for clinical laboratories

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nano-sized particles secreted by most cells. They transport different types of biomolecules (nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids) characteristic of their tissue or cellular origin that can mediate long-distance intercellular communication. In the case of cancer, EVs participate in tumor progression by modifying the tumor microenvironment, favoring immune tolerance and metastasis development. Consequently, EVs have great potential in liquid biopsy for cancer diagnosis, prognosis and follow-up. In addition, EVs could have a role in cancer treatment as a targeted drug delivery system. The intense research in the EV field has resulted in hundreds of patents and the creation of biomedical companies. However, methodological issues and heterogeneity in EV composition have hampered the advancement of EV validation trials and the development of EV-based diagnostic and therapeutic products. Consequently, only a few EV biomarkers have moved from research to clinical laboratories, such as the ExoDx Prostate IntelliScore (EPI) test, a CLIA/FDA-approved EV prostate cancer diagnostic test. In addition, the number of large-scale multicenter studies that would clearly define biomarker performance is limited. In this review, we will critically describe the different types of EVs, the methods for their enrichment and characterization, and their biological role in cancer. Then, we will specially focus on the parameters to be considered for the translation of EV biology to the clinic laboratory, the advances already made in the field of EVs related to cancer diagnosis and treatment, and the issues still pending to be solved before EVs could be used as a routine tool in oncology.

Exosome nanovesicles as potential biomarkers and immune checkpoint signaling modulators in lung cancer microenvironment: recent advances and emerging concepts

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally, and the survival rate remains low despite advances in diagnosis and treatment. The progression of lung cancer is a multifaceted and dynamic phenomenon that encompasses interplays among cancerous cells and their microenvironment, which incorporates immune cells. Exosomes, which are small membrane-bound vesicles, are released by numerous cell types in normal and stressful situations to allow communication between cells. Tumor-derived exosomes (TEXs) possess diverse neo-antigens and cargoes such as proteins, RNA, and DNA and have a unique molecular makeup reflecting tumor genetic complexity. TEXs contain both immunosuppressive and immunostimulatory factors and may play a role in immunomodulation by influencing innate and adaptive immune components. Moreover, they transmit signals that contribute to the progression of lung cancer by promoting metastasis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), angiogenesis, and immunosuppression. This makes them a valuable resource for investigating the immune environment of tumors, which could pave the way for the development of non-invasive biomarkers that could aid in the prognosis, diagnosis, and immunotherapy of lung cancer. While immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) immunotherapy has shown promising results in treating initial-stage cancers, most patients eventually develop adaptive resistance over time. Emerging evidence demonstrates that TEXs could serve as a prognostic biomarker for immunotherapeutic response and have a significant impact on both systemic immune suppression and tumor advancement. Therefore, understanding TEXs and their role in lung cancer tumorigenesis and their response to immunotherapies is an exciting research area and needs further investigation. This review highlights the role of TEXs as key contributors to the advancement of lung cancer and their clinical significance in lung immune-oncology, including their possible use as biomarkers for monitoring disease progression and prognosis, as well as emerging shreds of evidence regarding the possibility of using exosomes as targets to improve lung cancer therapy.

Exosomes: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Implications in Cancer

Exosomes are a subset of extracellular vesicles produced by all cells, and they are present in various body fluids. Exosomes play crucial roles in tumor initiation/progression, immune suppression, immune surveillance, metabolic reprogramming, angiogenesis, and the polarization of macrophages. In this work, we summarize the mechanisms of exosome biogenesis and secretion. Since exosomes may be increased in the cancer cells and body fluids of cancer patients, exosomes and exosomal contents can be used as cancer diagnostic and prognostic markers. Exosomes contain proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. These exosomal contents can be transferred into recipient cells. Therefore, this work details the roles of exosomes and exosomal contents in intercellular communications. Since exosomes mediate cellular interactions, exosomes can be targeted for developing anticancer therapy. This review summarizes current studies on the effects of exosomal inhibitors on cancer initiation and progression. Since exosomal contents can be transferred, exosomes can be modified to deliver molecular cargo such as anticancer drugs, small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), and micro RNAs (miRNAs). Thus, we also summarize recent advances in developing exosomes as drug delivery platforms. Exosomes display low toxicity, biodegradability, and efficient tissue targeting, which make them reliable delivery vehicles. We discuss the applications and challenges of exosomes as delivery vehicles in tumors, along with the clinical values of exosomes. In this review, we aim to highlight the biogenesis, functions, and diagnostic and therapeutic implications of exosomes in cancer.

Extracellular Vesicle (EVs) Associated Non-Coding RNAs in Lung Cancer and Therapeutics

Lung cancer is one of the most lethal forms of cancer, with a very high mortality rate. The precise pathophysiology of lung cancer is not well understood, and pertinent information regarding the initiation and progression of lung cancer is currently a crucial area of scientific investigation. Enhanced knowledge about the disease will lead to the development of potent therapeutic interventions. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-bound heterogeneous populations of cellular entities that are abundantly produced by all cells in the human body, including the tumor cells. A defined class of EVs called small Extracellular Vesicles (sEVs or exosomes) carries key biomolecules such as RNA, DNA, Proteins and Lipids. Exosomes, therefore, mediate physiological activities and intracellular communication between various cells, including constituent cells of the tumor microenvironment, namely stromal cells, immunological cells, and tumor cells. In recent years, a surge in studying tumor-associated non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) has been observed. Subsequently, studies have also reported that exosomes abundantly carry different species of ncRNAs and these exosomal ncRNAs are functionally involved in cancer initiation and progression. Here, we discuss the function of exosomal ncRNAs, such as miRNAs and long non-coding RNAs, in the pathophysiology of lung tumors. Further, the future application of exosomal-ncRNAs in clinics as biomarkers and therapeutic targets in lung cancer is also discussed due to the multifaceted influence of exosomes on cellular physiology.