The Emerging Role of Exosomes in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Yanhui Lu,Yunyi Yuan,Zhichao Zheng,Lihong Wu,Mingtao Zeng,Janak L Pathak,Zhitong Ye,Lijing Wang,Xuechao Yang,William C Cho

doi:10.3389/fcell.2021.628103

Abstract

Oral cancer constitutes approximately 2% of all cancers, while the most common type, oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) represents 90% of oral cancers. Although the treatment of OSCC has improved recently, it still has a high rate of local recurrence and poor prognosis, with a 5-year survival rate of only 50%. Advanced stage OSCC tends to metastasize to lymph nodes. Thus, exploring new therapeutic strategies for OSCC is therefore an urgent priority. Exosomes, the small membrane vesicles derived from endosomes, have been detected in a wide array of bodily fluids. Exosomes contain a diversity of proteins, mRNAs, and non-coding RNAs, including microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, piRNAs, circular RNAs, tsRNAs, and ribosomal RNAs, which are delivered to neighboring cells or even transported to distant sites. Exosomes have been associated with the tumorigenesis of OSCC, promote the proliferation, colonization, and metastasis of OSCC by transferring their contents to the target cells. Furthermore, exosomes are involved in the regulation of the tumor microenvironment to transform conditions favoring cancer progression in vivo. In this review, we summarize the crucial role of exosomes in the tumorigenesis and progression of OSCC and discuss the potential clinical application of exosomes in OSCC treatment.

Highlights

Oral squamous cell carcinoma is the most common subtype of oral carcinoma, a genetic and epigenetic disease characterized by histopathological differentiation and a propensity for lymph node metastasis (LNM) (Bu et al, 2015)
As one of the most abundant constituents of the tumor microenvironment (TME), we demonstrated that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) perform critical roles during tumor progression and metastasis (Vu et al, 2019). miRNAs from cancer-derived exosomes are crucial messengers in the intercommunication between tumor cells and CAFs within the TME
In 2012, miRNAs were found in the exosomes of invasive tumors, suggesting that tumor-derived exosomes may serve as an important diagnostic tool to avoid metastasis and improve prognosis (Chen et al, 2012a)

Summary

Introduction

Oral squamous cell carcinoma is the most common subtype of oral carcinoma, a genetic and epigenetic disease characterized by histopathological differentiation and a propensity for LNM (Bu et al, 2015). As important genetic materials transported in exosomes, exosomal miRNAs could serve as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for the treatment of OSCC. Exosomal miRNAs play an essential role in growth, metastasis, and drug resistance.

Results

Conclusion