Abstract
Early detection, characterization and monitoring of cancer are possible by using extracellular vesicles (EVs) isolated from non-invasively obtained liquid biopsy samples. They play a role in intercellular communication contributing to cell growth, differentiation and survival, thereby affecting the formation of tumor microenvironments and causing metastases. EVs were discovered more than seventy years ago. They have been tested recently as tools of drug delivery to treat cancer. Here we give a brief review on extracellular vesicles, exosomes, microvesicles and apoptotic bodies. Exosomes play an important role by carrying extracellular nucleic acids (DNA, RNA) in cell-to-cell communication causing tumor and metastasis development. We discuss the role of extracellular vesicles in the pathogenesis of cancer and their practical application in the early diagnosis, follow up, and next-generation treatment of cancer patients.
Highlights
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) were discovered in 1946 as procoagulant platelet-derived particles in ultracentrifuged pellets from blood plasma [1]; the term “extracellular vesicle” was first used later in independent observations [2,3]
Liquid biopsies may serve as sources of many important biomarkers including cancer cells, extracellular vesicles, tumor-educated platelets, metabolites, proteins, and cell-free nucleic acids
The number of publications on liquid biopsy-derived exosomes used for cancer detection and monitoring have skyrocketed recently, even with the problems of classification and standardizing extraction methods for different biofluids [23]
Summary
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) were discovered in 1946 as procoagulant platelet-derived particles in ultracentrifuged pellets from blood plasma [1]; the term “extracellular vesicle” was first used later in independent observations [2,3]. We know that EVs are nano- to micron-sized vesicles covered by phospholipid bilayers They are classified into three groups: apoptotic bodies (ABs), ectosomes/microparticles (MPs)/microvesicles (MVs), and exosomes (Exs) [4]. EVs contain proteins, lipids, DNA, RNA, and microRNA serving as mediators of cell-to-cell communication [10,11,12] Membranes protect their contents from nuclease and protease degradation and micro-environment changes (e.g., osmolarity and fluctuations in pH) [12]. The last main group, exosomes, belongs to the class of intraluminal vesicles (ILVs) contained in multi-vesicular bodies (MVBs) and are released to the extracellular environment by MVBs fusing with the cell membrane [7,13]. We discuss the current understanding of exosomes’ role in cancer, and as markers of disease progression, making them valuable assets in tumor diagnosis and treatment
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