The updated role of exosomal proteins in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of cancer

Abstract

Exosomes are vesicles encompassed by a lipid bilayer that are released by various living cells. Exosomal proteins are encapsulated within the membrane or embedded on the surface. As an important type of exosome cargo, exosomal proteins can reflect the physiological status of the parent cell and play an essential role in cell–cell communication. Exosomal proteins can regulate tumor development, including tumor-related immune regulation, microenvironment reconstruction, angiogenesis, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, metastasis, etc. The features of exosomal proteins can provide insight into exosome generation, targeting, and biological function and are potential sources of markers for cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. Here, we summarize the effects of exosomal proteins on cancer biology, the latest progress in the application of exosomal proteins in cancer diagnosis and prognosis, and the potential contribution of exosomal proteins in cancer therapeutics and vaccines.

Cancer: exploring the potential of exosomes

Exosomes, membrane-bound vesicles released by some cells, contain a cargo of proteins and other biomolecules that can be analyzed to assist the diagnosis of cancer or predict its likely outcome, and may become useful in treating cancer. Zhihui Li, Jianyong Lei, and colleagues at Sichuan University, Chengdu, China, review progress in cancer-focused exosome research. The proteins in exosomes can act as indicators of the health or disease status of cells. They can also control the development of tumors and wider physiological processes that support tumor growth and spread. The authors consider the specific significance of exosome proteins in each of a wide range of common human cancers, and discuss some technical challenges that must be overcome to fully exploit the potential of exosomes to diagnose, monitor, and perhaps treat cancer.