Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes containing microRNA-425 promote migration, invasion and lung metastasis by down-regulating CPEB1

Non-coding RNA in exosomes: Regulating bone metastasis of lung cancer and its clinical application prospect

Lung cancer is a highly prevalent malignancy with poor prognosis and rapid progression. It most frequently metastasizes to the bone, where it can pose a severe threat to the patient's survival. Once metastasized, the disease is often incurable and can result in severe complications such as hypercalcemia, bone pain, fractures, spinal cord compression, and subsequent paralysis. Exosomes are bilayer vesicle nanoparticles secreted by most of the extracellular vesicles, which can be found in almost all organisms and play an essential role in intercellular communication. Through their ability to regulate related bone cells, exosomes carry bioactive molecules, including proteins, lipids, and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), that can be extremely important in bone remodeling. Studies have been conducted on the role play by proteins, lncRNA, and microRNA-all ncRNAs-carried by exosomes in the bone metastases of lung cancer. In this review, the latest progress of the regulatory mechanism of ncRNAs carried by exosomes in lung cancer bone metastasis has been reviewed. The clinical use of exosomes as a promising biomarker, drug transporter, and therapeutic target was highlighted to offer a novel diagnostic and treatment approach for patients with lung cancer bone metastases.

Small extracellular vesicles: Multi-functional aspects in non-small cell lung carcinoma

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) impact normal and pathological cellular signaling through bidirectional trafficking. Exosomes, a subset of EVs possess biomolecules including proteins, lipids, DNA fragments and various RNA species reflecting a speculum of their parent cells. The involvement of exosomes in bidirectional communication and their biological constituents substantiate its role in regulating both physiology and pathology, including multiple cancers. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common lung cancers (85%) with high incidence, mortality and reduced overall survival. Lack of efficient early diagnostic and therapeutic tools hurdles the management of NSCLC. Interestingly, the exosomes from body fluids similarity with parent cells or tissue offers a potential future multicomponent tool for the early diagnosis of NSCLC. The structural twinning of exosomes with a cell/tissue and the competitive tumor derived exosomes in tumor microenvironment (TME) promotes the unpinning horizons of exosomes as a drug delivery, vaccine, and therapeutic agent. Exosomes in clinical point of view assist to trace: acquired resistance caused by various therapeutic agents, early diagnosis, progression, and surveillance. In an integrated approach, EV biomarkers offer potential cutting-edge techniques for the detection and diagnosis of cancer, though the purification, characterization, and biomarker identification processes for the translational research regarding EVs need further optimization.

Advancements and trends in exosome research in lung cancer from a bibliometric analysis (2004-2023)

Background

Lung cancer, characterized by its high morbidity and lethality, necessitates thorough research to enhance our understanding of its pathogenesis and discover novel therapeutic approaches. Recent studies increasingly demonstrate that lung cancer cells can modulate the tumor microenvironment, promoting tumor growth, and metastasis through the release of exosomes. Exosomes are small vesicles secreted by cells and contain a variety of bioactive molecules such as proteins, nucleic acids, and metabolites. This paper presents a comprehensive review of exosome research in lung cancer and its progress through bibliometric analysis.

Methods

Publications related to exosomes in lung cancer patients were systematically searched on the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database. Bibliometric analysis was performed using VOSviwers, CiteSpace, and the R package "Bibliometrics". Publications were quantitatively analyzed using Microsoft Office Excel 2019. The language of publication was restricted to "English" and the search strategy employed TS=(exosomes or exosomes or exosomes) and TS=(lung cancer). The search period commenced on January 1, 2004, and concluded on November 12, 2023, at noon. The selected literature types included Articles and Reviews.

Results

The study encompassed 1699 papers from 521 journals across 71 countries and 2105 institutions. Analysis revealed a consistent upward trend in lung cancer exosome research over the years, with a notable surge in recent times. This surge indicates a growing interest and depth of inquiry into lung cancer exosomes. Major research institutions in China and the United States, including Nanjing Medical University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Chinese Academy Of Sciences, and Utmd Anderson Cancer Center, emerged as crucial research hubs. The annual publication count in this field witnessed a continuous rise, particularly in recent years. Key terms such as lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), microvesicles, intercellular communication, exosomal miRNAs, and oncology dominated the research landscape. Fields like cell biology, biochemistry, biotechnology, and oncology exhibited close relation with this research. Clotilde Théry emerged as the most cited author in the field, underlining her significant contributions. These results demonstrate the broad impact of exosome research in lung cancer, with key terms covering not only disease-specific aspects such as lung cancer and NSCLC but also basic biological concepts like microvesicles and intercellular communication. Explorations into exosomal microRNAs and oncology have opened new avenues for lung cancer exosome research. In summary, lung cancer exosome research is poised to continue receiving attention, potentially leading to breakthroughs in treatment and prevention.

Conclusion

Publications on lung cancer exosomes show a rising trend year by year, with China and the United States ranking first and second in terms of the number of publications. However, there is insufficient academic learning cooperation and exchanges between the two sides, and Chinese universities account for a large proportion of research institutions in this field. Jing Li is the most productive author, Clotilde Théry is the most co-cited author, and Cancers is the journal with the highest number of publications. The current focus in the field of lung cancer exosomes is on biomarkers, liquid biopsies, immunotherapy, and tumor microenvironment.

Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes: An Advanced Horizon to Cancer Regenerative Medicine

Cancer research has made significant progress in recent years, and extracellular vesicles (EVs) based cancer investigation reveals several facts about cancer. Exosomes are a subpopulation of EVs. In the present decade, exosomes is mostly highlighted for cancer theranostic research. Tumor cell derived exosomes (TEXs) promote cancer but there are multiple sources of exosomes that can be used as cancer therapeutic agents (plant exosomes, stem cell-derived exosomes, modified or synthetic exosomes). Stem cells based regenerative medicine faces numerous challenges, such as promote tumor development, cellular reprogramming etc., and therefore addressing these complications becomes essential. Stem cell-derived exosomes serves as an answer to these problems and offers a better solution. Global research indicates that stem cell-derived exosomes also play a dual role in the cellular system by either inhibiting or promoting cancer. Modified exosomes which are genetically engineered exosomes or surface modified exosomes to increase the efficacy of the therapeutic properties can also be considered to target the above concerns. However, the difficulties associated with the exosomes include variations in exosomes heterogenity, isolation protocols, large scale production, etc., and these have to be managed effectively. In this review, we explore exosomes biogenesis, multiple stem cell-derived exosome sources, drug delivery, modified stem cells exosomes, clinical trial of stem cells exosomes, and the related challenges in this domain and future orientation. This article may encourage researchers to explore stem cell-derived exosomes and develop an effective and affordable cancer therapeutic solution.

Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes as delivery vehicles for non-coding RNAs in lung diseases

The burden of lung diseases is gradually increasing with an increase in the average human life expectancy. Therefore, it is necessary to identify effective methods to treat lung diseases and reduce their social burden. Currently, an increasing number of studies focus on the role of mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (MSC-Exos) as a cell-free therapy in lung diseases. They show great potential for application to lung diseases as a more stable and safer option than traditional cell therapies. MSC-Exos are rich in various substances, including proteins, nucleic acids, and DNA. Delivery of Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) enables MSC-Exos to communicate with target cells. MSC-Exos significantly inhibit inflammatory factors, reduce oxidative stress, promote normal lung cell proliferation, and reduce apoptosis by delivering ncRNAs. Moreover, MSC-Exos carrying specific ncRNAs affect the proliferation, invasion, and migration of lung cancer cells, thereby playing a role in managing lung cancer. The detailed mechanisms of MSC-Exos in the clinical treatment of lung disease were explored by developing standardized culture, isolation, purification, and administration strategies. In summary, MSC-Exo-based delivery methods have important application prospects for treating lung diseases.

Advancements in engineered mesenchymal stem cell exosomes for chronic lung disease treatment

Chronic lung diseases include an array of conditions that impact airways and lung structures, leading to considerable societal burdens. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and their exosomes (MSC-exos) can be used for cell therapy and exhibit a diverse spectrum of anti-inflammatory, antifibrotic, and immunomodulatory properties. Engineered MSC-exos possesses enhanced capabilities for targeted drug delivery, resulting in more potent targeting effects. Through various engineering modifications, these exosomes can exert many biological effects, resulting in specific therapeutic outcomes for many diseases. Moreover, engineered stem cell exosomes may exhibit an increased capacity to traverse physiological barriers and infiltrate protected lesions, thereby exerting their therapeutic effects. These characteristics render them a promising therapeutic agent for chronic pulmonary diseases. This article discusses and reviews the strategies and mechanisms of engineered MSC-exos in the treatment of chronic respiratory diseases based on many studies to provide new solutions for these diseases.

Regeneration and anti-inflammatory effects of stem cells and their extracellular vesicles in gynecological diseases

There are many gynecological diseases, among which breast cancer (BC), cervical cancer (CC), endometriosis (EMs), and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are common and difficult to cure. Stem cells (SCs) are a focus of regenerative medicine. They are commonly used to treat organ damage and difficult diseases because of their potential for self-renewal and multidirectional differentiation. SCs are also commonly used for difficult-to-treat gynecological diseases because of their strong directional differentiation ability with unlimited possibilities, their tendency to adhere to the diseased tissue site, and their use as carriers for drug delivery. SCs can produce exosomes in a paracrine manner. Exosomes can be produced in large quantities and have the advantage of easy storage. Their safety and efficacy are superior to those of SCs, which have considerable potential in gynecological treatment, such as inhibiting endometrial senescence, promoting vascular reconstruction, and improving anti-inflammatory and immune functions. In this paper, we review the mechanisms of the regenerative and anti-inflammatory capacity of SCs and exosomes in incurable gynecological diseases and the current progress in their application in genetic engineering to provide a foundation for further research.

miRNAs and exosomal miRNAs in lung cancer: New emerging players in tumor progression and therapy response

Non-coding RNAs have shown key roles in cancer and among them, short RNA molecules are known as microRNAs (miRNAs). These molecules have length less than 25 nucleotides and suppress translation and expression. The functional miRNAs are produced in cytoplasm. Lung cancer is a devastating disease that its mortality and morbidity have undergone an increase in recent years. Aggressive behavior leads to undesirable prognosis and tumors demonstrate abnormal proliferation and invasion. In the present review, miRNA functions in lung cancer is described. miRNAs reduce/increase proliferation and metastasis. They modulate cell death and proliferation. Overexpression of oncogenic miRNAs facilitates drug resistance and radio-resistance in lung cancer. Tumor microenvironment components including macrophages and cancer-associated fibroblasts demonstrate interactions with miRNAs in lung cancer. Other factors such as HIF-1α, lncRNAs and circRNAs modulate miRNA expression. miRNAs have also value in the diagnosis of lung cancer. Understanding such interactions can pave the way for developing novel therapeutics in near future for lung cancer patients.

Intermittent hypoxia BMSCs-derived exosomal miR-31-5p promotes lung adenocarcinoma development via WDR5-induced epithelial mesenchymal transition

BACKGROUND

Intermittent hypoxia (IH) is a factor involved in the incidence and progression of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Bone marrow-derived bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs)-derived exosomes are related to the promotion of tumor development. The objective of this experiment was to clarify the mechanism of exosomes from BMSCs in promoting the progression of LUAD induced by IH.

METHODS

This study examined if IH BMSCS-derived exosomes affect the malignancy of LUAD cells in vitro. Dual-luciferase assays were conducted to confirm the target of miR-31-5p with WD repeat domain 5 (WDR5). We further investigated whether or not  exosomal miR-31-5p or WDR5 could regulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). We determined the effect of IH exosomes using a tumorigenesis model in vivo.

RESULTS

miR-31-5p entered into LUAD cells via exosomes. MiR-31-5p was greatly upregulated in IH BMSCs-derived exosomes compared with RA exosomes. Increased expression of exosomal miR-31-5p induced by IH was discovered to target WDR5 directly, increased activation of WDR5, and significantly facilitated EMT, thereby promoting LUAD progression.

CONCLUSIONS

The promoting effect of IH on LUAD is achieved partly through BMSCs-derived exosomal miR-31-5p triggering WDR5 and promoting EMT.

Identification Invasion-Related Long Non-Coding RNAs in Lung Adenocarcinoma and Analysis of Competitive Endogenous RNA Regulatory Networks

Background

Cell invasion plays a vital role in cancer development and progression. Aberrant expression of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) is also critical in carcinogenesis. However, the prognostic value of invasion-related lncRNAs in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains unknown.

Methods

Differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs), lncRNAs (DElncRNAs), and microRNAs (DEmiRNAs) were between LUAD and control samples. Pearson correlation analyses were performed to screen for invasion-related DElncRNAs (DEIRLs). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression algorithms were applied to identify key genes and construct the risk score model, which was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was used to explore the underlying pathways of the risk model. Moreover, an invasion-related competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory network was constructed. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was performed to detect the expression of prognostic lncRNAs in the LUAD and control samples.

Results

A total of 45 DElncRNAs were identified as DEIRLs. RP3-525N10.2, LINC00857, EP300-AS1, PDZRN3-AS1, and RP5-1102E8.3 were potential prognostic lncRNAs, the expression of which was verified by RT-qPCR in LUAD samples. Both the risk score model and nomogram used the prognostic lncRNAs. ROC curves showed the risk score model had moderate accuracy and the nomogram had high accuracy in predicting patient prognosis. GSEA results indicated that the risk score model was associated with many biological processes and pathways relevant to cell proliferation. A ceRNA regulatory network was constructed in which PDZRN3-miR-96-5p-CPEB1, EP300-AS1-miR-93-5p-CORO2B, and RP3-525N10.2-miR-130a-5p-GHR may be key invasion-related regulatory pathways in LUAD.

Conclusion

Our study identified five novel invasion-related prognostic lncRNAs (RP3-525N10.2, LINC00857, EP300-AS1, PDZRN3-AS1, and RP5-1102E8.3) and established an accurate model for predicting the prognosis of patients with LUAD. These findings enrich our understanding of the relationships between cell invasion, lncRNAs, and LUAD and may provide novel treatment directions.

The role and underlying mechanisms of tumour-derived exosomes in lung cancer metastasis

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Lung cancer is one of the most common malignant tumours worldwide. Metastasis is a serious influencing factor for poor treatment effect and shortened survival in lung cancer. But the complicated underlying molecular mechanisms of tumour metastasis remain unclear. In this review, we aim to further summarize and explore the underlying mechanisms of tumour-derived exosomes (TDEs) in lung cancer metastasis.

RECENT FINDINGS

TDEs are actively produced and released by tumour cells and carry messages from tumour cells to normal or abnormal cells residing at close or distant sites. Many studies have shown that TDEs promote lung cancer metastasis and development through multiple mechanisms, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition, immunosuppression and the formation of a premetastatic niche. TDEs regulate these mechanisms to promote metastasis by carrying DNA, proteins, miRNA, mRNA, lncRNA and ceRNA. Further exploring TDEs related to metastasis may be a promising treatment strategy and deserve further investigation.

SUMMARY

Overall, TDEs play a critical role in metastatic of lung cancer. Further studies are needed to explore the underlying mechanisms of TDEs in lung cancer metastasis.