Comprehensive landscape of extracellular vesicle-derived RNAs in cancer initiation, progression, metastasis and cancer immunology

Detection of brain metastases from blood using Brain nanoMET sensor: Extracellular vesicles as a dynamic marker for metastatic brain tumors

Brain metastases account for a significant number of cancer-related deaths with poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Current diagnostic methods have limitations in resolution, sensitivity, inability to differentiate between primary and metastatic brain tumors, and invasiveness. Liquid biopsy is a promising non-invasive alternative; however, current approaches have shown limited efficacy for diagnosing brain metastases due to biomarker instability and low levels of detectable tumor-specific biomarkers. This study introduces an innovative liquid biopsy technique using extracellular vesicles (EVs) as a biomarker for brain metastases, employing the Brain nanoMET sensor. The sensor was fabricated through an ultrashort femtosecond laser ablation process and provides excellent surface-enhanced Raman Scattering functionality. We developed an in vitro model of metastatic tumors to understand the tumor microenvironment and secretomes influencing brain metastases from breast and lung cancers. Molecular profiling of EVs derived from brain-seeking metastatic tumors revealed unique, brain-specific signatures, which were also validated in the peripheral circulation of brain metastasis patients. Compared to primary brain tumor EVs, we also observed an upregulation of PD-L1 marker in the metastatic EVs. A machine learning model trained on these EV molecular profiles achieved 97% sensitivity in differentiating metastatic brain cancer from primary brain cancer, with 94% accuracy in predicting the primary tissue of origin for breast metastasis and 100% accuracy for lung metastasis. The results from this pilot validation suggest that this technique holds significant potential for improving metastasis diagnosis and targeted treatment strategies for brain metastases, addressing a critical unmet need in neuro-oncology.

Electrochemical Biosensors for Cancer Diagnosis: Multitarget Analysis to Present Molecular Characteristics of Tumor Heterogeneity

Electrochemical biosensors are gaining attention as powerful tools in cancer diagnosis, particularly in liquid biopsy, due to their high efficiency, rapid response, exceptional sensitivity, and specificity. However, the complexity of intra- and intertumor heterogeneity, with variations in genetic and protein expression profiles and epigenetic modifications, makes electrochemical biosensors susceptible to false-positive or false-negative diagnostic outcomes. To address this challenge, there is growing interest in simultaneously analyzing multiple biomarkers to reveal molecular characteristics of tumor heterogeneity for precise cancer diagnosis. In this Perspective, we highlight recent advancements in utilizing electrochemical biosensors for cancer diagnosis, with a specific emphasis on the multitarget analysis of cancer biomarkers including tumor-associated nucleic acids, tumor protein markers, extracellular vesicles, and tumor cells. These biosensors hold significant promise for improving precision in early cancer diagnosis and monitoring, as well as potentially offering new insights into personalized cancer management.

RNA-seq profiling identified a three-lncRNA panel in serum as potential biomarker for muscle-invasive bladder cancer

Background

Preoperative determination of muscular infiltration is crucial for appropriate treatment planning in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). We aimed to explore early diagnostic biomarkers in serum for MIBC in this study.

Methods

The expression profiles of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) were initially screened by high-throughput sequencing and evaluation of potential lncRNAs were conducted by two phases of RT-qPCR assays using serum samples from 190 patients with MIBC and 190 non-muscle-invasive BC (NMIBC) patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was applied to establish a diagnostic signature with high accuracy and Fagan's nomogram was plotted to promote clinical application. Bioinformatics analysis was used to determine the potential miRNA-mRNA binding of candidate lncRNAs.

Results

We identified three differentially expressed lncRNAs (LINC00565, LINC00592 and NDUFA6-AS1) and established a 3-lncRNA panel which demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy for MIBC with an AUC of 0.903 (95% CI: 0.850-0.942) and 0.875 (95% CI: 0.802-0.928) in the training and validation set. Moreover, construction and assessment of Fagan'nomogram demonstrated that the 3-lncRNA panel could exhibit practical and helpful values for clinical use. Finally, a network map based on LINC00565 was constructed and we found that the expression of miR-143-5p and miR-4516 were significantly correlated with LINC00565 in MIBC.

Conclusion

Our findings indicated that the constructed 3-lncRNA panel in serum showed favorable diagnostic capacity and might serve as promising non-invasive biomarkers in the early diagnosis of MIBC.

Advances in exosome plasmonic sensing: Device integration strategies and AI-aided diagnosis

Exosomes, as next-generation biomarkers, has great potential in tracking cancer progression. They face many detection limitations in cancer diagnosis. Plasmonic biosensors have attracted considerable attention at the forefront of exosome detection, due to their label-free, real-time, and high-sensitivity features. Their advantages in multiplex immunoassays of minimal liquid samples establish the leading position in various diagnostic studies. This review delineates the application principles of plasmonic sensing technologies, highlighting the importance of exosomes-based spectrum and image signals in disease diagnostics. It also introduces advancements in miniaturizing plasmonic biosensing platforms of exosomes, which can facilitate point-of-care testing for future healthcare. Nowadays, inspired by the surge of artificial intelligence (AI) for science and technology, more and more AI algorithms are being adopted to process the exosome spectrum and image data from plasmonic detection. Using representative algorithms of machine learning has become a mainstream trend in plasmonic biosensing research for exosome liquid biopsy. Typically, these algorithms process complex exosome datasets efficiently and establish powerful predictive models for precise diagnosis. This review further discusses critical strategies of AI algorithm selection in exosome-based diagnosis. Particularly, we categorize the AI algorithms into the interpretable and uninterpretable groups for exosome plasmonic detection applications. The interpretable AI enhances the transparency and reliability of diagnosis by elucidating the decision-making process, while the uninterpretable AI provides high diagnostic accuracy with robust data processing by a "black-box" working mode. We believe that AI will continue to promote significant progress of exosome plasmonic detection and mobile healthcare in the near future.

Systematic insights into cell density-dependent transcriptional responses upon medium replacements

Understanding the molecular mechanisms governing transfection efficiency and particle secretion in high cell density cultures is critical to overcome the cell density effect upon transient gene expression. The effect of different conditioned media in HEK293 transcriptome at low and high cell density is explored. A systematic pair-wise comparative study was performed to shed light on the effect on previous phenotypical characteristics of different media conditions: fresh, exhausted and media depleted from extracellular vesicles (EVs) as well as associated proteins and RNAs. The obtained results suggest that restorative effects observed in transfection efficiency when employing EV-depleted media may arise predominantly from physicochemical alterations rather than cellular processes. A significant downregulation of genes associated with nucleocytoplasmic transport for the conditions involving the use of exhausted or EV-depleted media was observed. Moreover, upregulation of histone-related genes in EV-depleted media suggest a role for histone signaling in response to cellular stress or growth limitations, thereby highlighting the potential of manipulating histone levels as a promising strategy to enhance transient transfection. It was also corroborated that the accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins upon cell growth may inhibit transfection by an already-known competitive effect between cell membrane-bound and free proteoglycans. Proteomic characterization of EV-depleted media further unveiled enrichment of pathways associated with infection response and double-strand DNA breaks, suggesting that HEK293 cells undergo an induced infection-like state that disrupts cellular processes. Importantly, the study reveals that EV-depleted media stimulates virion release pathways underscoring the complex interplay between extracellular vesicles and viral budding.

Huaier-induced suppression of cancer-associated fibroblasts confers immunotherapeutic sensitivity in triple-negative breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most intractable subgroup of breast neoplasms due to its aggressive nature. In recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have exhibited potential efficacy in TNBC treatment. However, only a limited fraction of patients benefit from ICI therapy, primarily because of the suppressive tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). Trametes robiniophila Murr (Huaier) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with potential immunoregulatory functions. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear.

PURPOSE

The present study aimed to investigate the therapeutic role of Huaier in the TIME of TNBC patients.

METHODS

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was used to systematically analyze the influence of Huaier on the TNBC microenvironment for the first time. The mechanisms of the Huaier-induced suppression of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) were assessed via real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT‒PCR) and western blotting. A tumor-bearing mouse model was established to verify the effects of the oral administration of Huaier on immune infiltration.

RESULTS

Unsupervised clustering of the transcriptional profiles suggested an increase in the number of apoptotic cancer cells in the Huaier group. Treatment with Huaier induced immunological alterations from a "cold" to a "hot" state, which was accompanied by phenotypic changes in CAFs. Mechanistic analysis revealed that Huaier considerably attenuated the formation of myofibroblastic CAFs (myoCAFs) by impairing transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β)/SMAD signaling. In mouse xenograft models, Huaier dramatically modulated CAF differentiation, thus synergizing with the programmed cell death 1 (PD1) blockade to impede tumor progression.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings demonstrate that Huaier regulates cancer immunity in TNBC by suppressing the transition of CAFs to myoCAFs and emphasize the crucial role of Huaier as an effective adjuvant agent in immunotherapy.

Immunoactive signatures of circulating tRNA- and rRNA-derived RNAs in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the most prevalent lung disease, and macrophages play a central role in the inflammatory response in COPD. We here report a comprehensive characterization of circulating short non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) in plasma from patients with COPD. While circulating sncRNAs are increasingly recognized for their regulatory roles and biomarker potential in various diseases, the conventional RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) method cannot fully capture these circulating sncRNAs due to their heterogeneous terminal structures. By pre-treating the plasma RNAs with T4 polynucleotide kinase, which converts all RNAs to those with RNA-seq susceptible ends (5'-phosphate and 3'-hydroxyl), we comprehensively sequenced a wide variety of non-microRNA sncRNAs, such as 5'-tRNA halves containing a 2',3'-cyclic phosphate. We discovered a remarkable accumulation of the 5'-half derived from tRNAValCAC in plasma from COPD patients, whereas the 5'-tRNAGlyGCC half is predominant in healthy donors. Further, the 5'-tRNAValCAC half activates human macrophages via Toll-like receptor 7 and induces cytokine production. Additionally, we identified circulating rRNA-derived fragments that were upregulated in COPD patients and demonstrated their ability to induce cytokine production in macrophages. Our findings provide evidence of circulating, immune-active sncRNAs in patients with COPD, suggesting that they serve as inflammatory mediators in the pathogenesis of COPD.

Tumor-associated exosomes in cancer progression and therapeutic targets

Exosomes are small membrane vesicles that are released by cells into the extracellular environment. Tumor-associated exosomes (TAEs) are extracellular vesicles that play a significant role in cancer progression by mediating intercellular communication and contributing to various hallmarks of cancer. These vesicles carry a cargo of proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and other biomolecules that can be transferred to recipient cells, modifying their behavior and promoting tumor growth, angiogenesis, immune modulation, and drug resistance. Several potential therapeutic targets within the TAEs cargo have been identified, including oncogenic proteins, miRNAs, tumor-associated antigens, immune checkpoint proteins, drug resistance proteins, and tissue factor. In this review, we will systematically summarize the biogenesis, composition, and function of TAEs in cancer progression and highlight potential therapeutic targets. Considering the complexity of exosome-mediated signaling and the pleiotropic effects of exosome cargoes has challenge in developing effective therapeutic strategies. Further research is needed to fully understand the role of TAEs in cancer and to develop effective therapies that target them. In particular, the development of strategies to block TAEs release, target TAEs cargo, inhibit TAEs uptake, and modulate TAEs content could provide novel approaches to cancer treatment.

CircZFR promotes colorectal cancer progression via stabilizing BCLAF1 and regulating the miR-3127-5p/RTKN2 axis

Aberrant expression of circular RNAs (circRNAs) is frequently linked to colorectal cancer (CRC). Here, we identified circZFR as a promising biomarker for CRC diagnosis and prognosis. CircZFR was upregulated in CRC tissues and serum exosomes and its level was linked to cancer incidence, advanced-stages, and metastasis. In both in vitro and in vivo settings, circZFR promoted the growth and spread while suppressing apoptosis of CRC. Exosomes with circZFR overexpression promoted the proliferation and migration of cocultured CRC cells. Mechanistically, epithelial splicing regulatory protein 1 (ESRP1) in CRC cells may enhance the production of circZFR. BCL2-associated transcription factor 1 (BCLAF1) bound to circZFR, which prevented its ubiquitinated degradation. Additionally, circZFR sponged miR-3127-5p to boost rhotekin 2 (RTKN2) expression. Our TCP1-CD-QDs nanocarrier was able to carry and deliver circZFR siRNA (si-circZFR) to the vasculature of CRC tissues and cells, which inhibited the growth of tumors in patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. Taken together, our results show that circZFR is an oncogenic circRNA, which promotes the development and spread of CRC in a BCLAF1 and miR-3127-5p-dependent manner. CircZFR is a possible serum biopsy marker for the diagnosis and a desirable target for further treatment of CRC.

The role of intercellular communication in diabetic nephropathy

Diabetic nephropathy, a common and severe complication of diabetes, is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease, ultimately leading to renal failure and significantly affecting the prognosis and lives of diabetics worldwide. However, the complexity of its developmental mechanisms makes treating diabetic nephropathy a challenging task, necessitating the search for improved therapeutic targets. Intercellular communication underlies the direct and indirect influence and interaction among various cells within a tissue. Recently, studies have shown that beyond traditional communication methods, tunnel nanotubes, exosomes, filopodial tip vesicles, and the fibrogenic niche can influence pathophysiological changes in diabetic nephropathy by disrupting intercellular communication. Therefore, this paper aims to review the varied roles of intercellular communication in diabetic nephropathy, focusing on recent advances in this area.

An Overview of Cancer Biology, Pathophysiological Development and It's Treatment Modalities: Current Challenges of Cancer anti-Angiogenic Therapy

A number of conditions and factors can cause the transformation of normal cells in the body into malignant tissue by changing the normal functions of a wide range of regulatory, apoptotic, and signal transduction pathways. Despite the current deficiency in fully understanding the mechanism of cancer action accurately and clearly, numerous genes and proteins that are causally involved in the initiation, progression, and metastasis of cancer have been identified. But due to the lack of space and the abundance of details on this complex topic, we have emphasized here more recent advances in our understanding of the principles implied tumor cell transformation, development, invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Inhibition of angiogenesis is a significant strategy for the treatment of various solid tumors, that essentially depend on cutting or at least limiting the supply of blood to micro-regions of tumors, leading to pan-hypoxia and pan-necrosis inside solid tumor tissues. Researchers have continued to enhance the efficiency of anti-angiogenic drugs over the past two decades, to identify their potential in the drug interaction, and to discover reasonable interpretations for possible resistance to treatment. In this review, we have discussed an overview of cancer history and recent methods use in cancer therapy, focusing on anti-angiogenic inhibitors targeting angiogenesis formation. Further, this review has explained the molecular mechanism of action of these anti-angiogenic inhibitors in various tumor types and their limitations use. In addition, we described the synergistic mechanisms of immunotherapy and anti-angiogenic therapy and summarizes current clinical trials of these combinations. Many phase III trials found that combining immunotherapy and anti-angiogenic therapy improved survival. Therefore, targeting the source supply of cancer cells to grow and spread with new anti-angiogenic agents in combination with different conventional therapy is a novel method to reduce cancer progression. The aim of this paper is to overview the varying concepts of cancer focusing on mechanisms involved in tumor angiogenesis and provide an overview of the recent trends in anti-angiogenic strategies for cancer therapy.

Small extracellular vesicles-shuttled miR-23a-3p from mesenchymal stem cells alleviate renal fibrosis and inflammation by inhibiting KLF3/STAT3 axis in diabetic kidney disease

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells-derived small extracellular vesicles (MSC-sEV) provide a pragmatic solution as a cell-free therapy for patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD). However, the underlying protective mechanisms of MSC-sEV remain largely unknown in DKD. Invivo and in vitro analyses demonstrated that MSC-sEV attenuated renal fibrosis and inflammation of DKD. The underlying mechanism of the MSC-sEV-induced therapeutic effect was explored by high-throughput sequencing, which identified the unique enrichment of a set of miRNAs in MSC-sEV compared with human skin fibroblasts-sEV (HSF-sEV). Vitro experiments demonstrated that the protective potential was primarily attributed to miR-23a-3p, one of the most abundant miRNAs in MSC-sEV. Further, overexpression or knockdown analyses revealed that miR-23a-3p, and its target Krüppel-like factor 3 (KLF3) suppressed the STAT3 signaling pathway in high glucose (HG) induced HK-2 cells were essential for the renal-protective property of MSC-sEV. Moreover, we found that miR-23a-3p was packaged into MSC-sEV by RNA Binding Motif Protein X-Linked (RBMX) and transmitted to HG-induced HK-2 cells. Finally, inhibiting miR-23a-3p could mitigate the protective effects of MSC-sEV in db/db mice. These findings suggest that a systemic administration of sEV derived from MSC, have the capacity to incorporate into kidney where they can exert renal-protective potential against HG-induced injury through delivery of miR-23a-3p.

Immunoactive signatures of circulating tRNA- and rRNA-derived RNAs in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the most prevalent lung disease, and macrophages play a central role in the inflammatory response in COPD. We here report a comprehensive characterization of circulating short non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) in plasma from patients with COPD. While circulating sncRNAs are increasingly recognized for their regulatory roles and biomarker potential in various diseases, the conventional RNA-seq method cannot fully capture these circulating sncRNAs due to their heterogeneous terminal structures. By pre-treating the plasma RNAs with T4 polynucleotide kinase, which converts all RNAs to those with RNA-seq susceptible ends (5'-phosphate and 3'-hydroxyl), we comprehensively sequenced a wide variety of non-microRNA sncRNAs, such as 5'-tRNA halves containing a 2',3'-cyclic phosphate. We discovered a remarkable accumulation of the 5'-half derived from tRNA ValCAC in plasma from COPD patients, whereas the 5'-tRNA GlyGCC half is predominant in healthy donors. Further, the 5'-tRNA ValCAC half activates human macrophages via Toll-like receptor 7 and induces cytokine production. Additionally, we identified circulating rRNA-derived fragments that were upregulated in COPD patients and demonstrated their ability to induce cytokine production in macrophages. Our findings provide evidence of circulating, immune-active sncRNAs in patients with COPD, suggesting that they serve as inflammatory mediators in the pathogenesis of COPD.

Exosomal noncoding RNAs: decoding their role in thyroid cancer progression

Exosomes, as pivotal entities within the tumor microenvironment, orchestrate intercellular communication through the transfer of diverse molecules, among which non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) such as miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs play a crucial role. These ncRNAs, endowed with regulatory functions, are selectively incorporated into exosomes. Emerging evidence underscores the significance of exosomal ncRNAs in modulating key oncogenic processes in thyroid cancer (TC), including proliferation, metastasis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), angiogenesis, and immunoediting. The unique composition of exosomes shields their cargo from enzymatic and chemical degradation, ensuring their integrity and facilitating their specific expression in plasma. This positions exosomal ncRNAs as promising candidates for novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in TC. Moreover, the potential of exosomes in the therapeutic landscape of TC is increasingly recognized. This review aims to elucidate the intricate relationship between exosomal ncRNAs and TC, fostering a deeper comprehension of their mechanistic involvement. By doing so, it endeavors to propel forward the exploration of exosomal ncRNAs in TC, ultimately paving the way for innovative diagnostic and therapeutic strategies predicated on exosomes and their ncRNA content.

Comprehensive review for non-coding RNAs: From mechanisms to therapeutic applications

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are an assorted collection of transcripts that are not translated into proteins. Since their discovery, ncRNAs have gained prominence as crucial regulators of various biological functions across diverse cell types and tissues, and their abnormal functioning has been implicated in disease. Notably, extensive research has focused on the relationship between microRNAs (miRNAs) and human cancers, although other types of ncRNAs, such as long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), are also emerging as significant contributors to human disease. In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary of our current knowledge regarding the roles of miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs in cancer and other major human diseases, particularly cancer, cardiovascular, neurological, and infectious diseases. Moreover, we discuss the potential utilization of ncRNAs as disease biomarkers and as targets for therapeutic interventions.

Glioblastoma stem cells deliver ABCB4 transcribed by ATF3 via exosomes conferring glioblastoma resistance to temozolomide

Glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) play a key role in glioblastoma (GBM) resistance to temozolomide (TMZ) chemotherapy. With the increase in research on the tumour microenvironment, exosomes secreted by GSCs have become a new focus in GBM research. However, the molecular mechanism by which GSCs affect drug resistance in GBM cells via exosomes remains unclear. Using bioinformatics analysis, we identified the specific expression of ABCB4 in GSCs. Subsequently, we established GSC cell lines and used ultracentrifugation to extract secreted exosomes. We conducted in vitro and in vivo investigations to validate the promoting effect of ABCB4 and ABCB4-containing exosomes on TMZ resistance. Finally, to identify the transcription factors regulating the transcription of ABCB4, we performed luciferase assays and chromatin immunoprecipitation-quantitative PCR. Our results indicated that ABCB4 is highly expressed in GSCs. Moreover, high expression of ABCB4 promoted the resistance of GSCs to TMZ. Our study found that GSCs can also transmit their highly expressed ABCB4 to differentiated glioma cells (DGCs) through exosomes, leading to high expression of ABCB4 in these cells and promoting their resistance to TMZ. Mechanistic studies have shown that the overexpression of ABCB4 in GSCs is mediated by the transcription factor ATF3. In conclusion, our results indicate that GSCs can confer resistance to TMZ in GBM by transmitting ABCB4, which is transcribed by ATF3, through exosomes. This mechanism may lead to drug resistance and recurrence of GBM. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying drug resistance in GBM and provide novel insights into its treatment.

Unveiling the hidden role of extracellular vesicles in brain metastases: a comprehensive review

Background

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small, transparent vesicles that can be found in various biological fluids and are derived from the amplification of cell membranes. Recent studies have increasingly demonstrated that EVs play a crucial regulatory role in tumorigenesis and development, including the progression of metastatic tumors in distant organs. Brain metastases (BMs) are highly prevalent in patients with lung cancer, breast cancer, and melanoma, and patients often experience serious complications and are often associated with a poor prognosis. The immune microenvironment of brain metastases was different from that of the primary tumor. Nevertheless, the existing review on the role and therapeutic potential of EVs in immune microenvironment of BMs is relatively limited.

Main body

This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the published research literature, summarizing the vital role of EVs in BMs. Studies have demonstrated that EVs participate in the regulation of the BMs immune microenvironment, exemplified by their ability to modify the permeability of the blood-brain barrier, change immune cell infiltration, and activate associated cells for promoting tumor cell survival and proliferation. Furthermore, EVs have the potential to serve as biomarkers for disease surveillance and prediction of BMs.

Conclusion

Overall, EVs play a key role in the regulation of the immune microenvironment of brain metastasis and are expected to make advances in immunotherapy and disease diagnosis. Future studies will help reveal the specific mechanisms of EVs in brain metastases and use them as new therapeutic strategies.

Tumor-suppressive miR-4732-3p is sorted into fucosylated exosome by hnRNPK to avoid the inhibition of lung cancer progression

BACKGROUND

Aberrant fucosylation observed in cancer cells contributes to an augmented release of fucosylated exosomes into the bloodstream, where miRNAs including miR-4732-3p hold promise as potential tumor biomarkers in our pilot study. However, the mechanisms underlying the sorting of miR-4732-3p into fucosylated exosomes during lung cancer progression remain poorly understood.

METHODS

A fucose-captured strategy based on lentil lectin-magnetic beads was utilized to isolate fucosylated exosomes and evaluate the efficiency for capturing tumor-derived exosomes using nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA). Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and qRT-PCR were performed to determine the levels of miR-4732-3p in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissue samples. A co-culture system was established to assess the release of miRNA via exosomes from NSCLC cells. RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) and miRNA pull-down were applied to validate the interaction between miR-4732-3p and heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNPK) protein. Cell functional assays, cell derived xenograft, dual-luciferase reporter experiments, and western blot were applied to examine the effects of miR-4732-3p on MFSD12 and its downstream signaling pathways, and the impact of hnRNPK in NSCLC.

RESULTS

We enriched exosomes derived from NSCLC cells using the fucose-captured strategy and detected a significant upregulation of miR-4732-3p in fucosylated exosomes present in the serum, while its expression declined in NSCLC tissues. miR-4732-3p functioned as a tumor suppressor in NSCLC by targeting 3'UTR of MFSD12, thereby inhibiting AKT/p21 signaling pathway to induce cell cycle arrest in G2/M phase. NSCLC cells preferentially released miR-4732-3p via exosomes instead of retaining them intracellularly, which was facilitated by the interaction of miR-4732-3p with hnRNPK protein for selective sorting into fucosylated exosomes. Moreover, knockdown of hnRNPK suppressed NSCLC cell proliferation, with the elevated levels of miR-4732-3p in NSCLC tissues but the decreased expression in serum fucosylated exosomes.

CONCLUSIONS

NSCLC cells escape suppressive effects of miR-4732-3p through hnRNPK-mediated sorting of them into fucosylated exosomes, thus supporting cell malignant properties and promoting NSCLC progression. Our study provides a promising biomarker for NSCLC and opens a novel avenue for NSCLC therapy by targeting hnRNPK to prevent the "exosome escape" of tumor-suppressive miR-4732-3p from NSCLC cells.

Bladder Cancer in Exosomal Perspective: Unraveling New Regulatory Mechanisms

Bladder cancer, a prevalent malignant neoplasm of the urinary tract, exhibits escalating morbidity and mortality rates. Current diagnosis standards rely on invasive and costly cystoscopy and histopathology, underscoring the urgency for non-invasive, high-throughput, and cost-effective novel diagnostic techniques to ensure timely detection and standardized treatment. Recent years have witnessed the rise of exosome research in bladder cancer studies. Exosomes contain abundant bioactive molecules that can help elucidate the intricate mechanisms underlying bladder cancer pathogenesis and metastasis. Exosomes hold potential as biomarkers for early bladder cancer diagnosis while also serving as targeted drug delivery vehicles to enhance treatment efficacy and mitigate adverse effects. Furthermore, exosome analyses offer insights into the complex molecular signaling networks implicated in bladder cancer progression, revealing novel therapeutic targets. This review provides a comprehensive overview of prevalent exosome isolation techniques and highlights the promising clinical utility of exosomes in both diagnostic and therapeutic applications in bladder cancer management.

Extracellular vesicles as carriers for noncoding RNA-based regulation of macrophage/microglia polarization: an emerging candidate regulator for lung and traumatic brain injuries

Macrophage/microglia function as immune defense and homeostatic cells that originate from bone marrow progenitor cells. Macrophage/microglia activation is historically divided into proinflammatory M1 or anti-inflammatory M2 states based on intracellular dynamics and protein production. The polarization of macrophages/microglia involves a pivotal impact in modulating the development of inflammatory disorders, namely lung and traumatic brain injuries. Recent evidence indicates shared signaling pathways in lung and traumatic brain injuries, regulated through non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) loaded into extracellular vesicles (EVs). This packaging protects ncRNAs from degradation. These vesicles are subcellular components released through a paracellular mechanism, constituting a group of nanoparticles that involve exosomes, microvesicles, and apoptotic bodies. EVs are characterized by a double-layered membrane and are abound with proteins, nucleic acids, and other bioactive compounds. ncRNAs are RNA molecules with functional roles, despite their absence of coding capacity. They actively participate in the regulation of mRNA expression and function through various mechanisms. Recent studies pointed out that selective packaging of ncRNAs into EVs plays a role in modulating distinct facets of macrophage/microglia polarization, under conditions of lung and traumatic brain injuries. This study will explore the latest findings regarding the role of EVs in the progression of lung and traumatic brain injuries, with a specific focus on the involvement of ncRNAs within these vesicles. The conclusion of this review will emphasize the clinical opportunities presented by EV-ncRNAs, underscoring their potential functions as both biomarkers and targets for therapeutic interventions.

Noncoding RNAs in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Potential Applications in Combined Therapeutic Strategies and Promising Candidates of Treatment Response

The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is increasing, and 40% of patients are diagnosed at advanced stages. Over the past 5 years, the number of clinically available treatments has dramatically increased for HCC, making patient management particularly complex. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have improved the overall survival of patients, showing a durable treatment benefit over time and a different response pattern with respect to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Although there is improved survival in responder cases, a sizeable group of patients are primary progressors or are ineligible for immunotherapy. Indeed, patients with nonviral etiologies, such as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and alterations in specific driver genes might be less responsive to immunotherapy. Therefore, improving the comprehension of mechanisms of drug resistance and identifying biomarkers that are informative of the best treatment approach are required actions to improve patient survival. Abundant evidence indicates that noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) are pivotal players in cancer. Molecular mechanisms through which ncRNAs exert their effects in cancer progression and drug resistance have been widely investigated. Nevertheless, there are no studies summarizing the synergistic effect between ncRNA-based strategies and TKIs or ICIs in the preclinical setting. This review aims to provide up-to-date information regarding the possible use of ncRNAs as therapeutic targets in association with molecular-targeted agents and immunotherapies and as predictive tools for the selection of optimized treatment options in advanced HCCs.

YRNA and tRNA fragments can differentiate benign from malignant canine mammary gland tumors

Mammary gland tumors (MGT) are the most common tumors in sexually intact female dogs. The functional regulation of miRNAs, a type of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), in canine MGT has been extensively investigated. However, the expression of other ncRNAs, such as YRNAs and transfer RNA-derived fragments (tRFs) in canine MGT is unknown. We investigated ncRNAs other than miRNAs from our small RNA project (PRJNA716131) in different canine MGT histologic subtypes. This study included benign tumors (benign mixed tumor, complex adenoma) and malignant tumors (carcinoma in benign tumor and carcinoma with metastasis) samples. Aberrantly expressed ncRNAs were examined by comparisons among MGT subtypes. The relative expression trends were validated in canine MGT tissues, plasma, extracellular vesicles, and MGT cell lines using quantitative reverse transcription PCR. Three aberrantly expressed ncRNAs were identified by comparisons among MGT subtypes. YRNA and tRNA-Gly-GCC distinguished benign mixed tumor from other MGT histologic subtypes, while tRNA-Val differentiated complex adenoma, carcinoma in benign tumors, and carcinoma with metastasis. The ROC curve of the three ncRNAs showed they might be potential biomarkers to discriminate malignant from benign MGT. YRNA and tRFs expression levels were decreased in metastatic compared with primary canine MGT cell lines. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first investigation of YRNA and tRFs in canine MGT. The three identified ncRNAs may be biomarkers for differentiating MGT histologic subtypes. Suggested Reviewers: Powered by Editorial Manager® and ProduXion Manager® from Aries Systems Corporatio.

Exploring Circular RNA Profile and Expression in Extracellular Vesicles

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small vesicles secreted by various cell types and are enriched in multiple body fluids. EVs containing RNA have the potential to modulate biological processes and are being investigated for their diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Circular RNAs (circRNAs), generated through back-splicing of exons, are enriched in EVs. Given their unique characteristics and diverse functions, EV-circRNAs are important players in disease pathology. This chapter describes a workflow for investigating the expression profile of EV-circRNAs, which includes EVs separation, library preparation, and bioinformatics analysis. This workflow can aid the investigation of EV-circRNAs and their potential role in disease pathology.

Extracellular RNA in oncogenesis, metastasis and drug resistance

Extracellular vesicles and nanoparticles (EVPs) are now recognized as a novel form of cell-cell communication. All cells release a wide array of heterogeneous EVPs with distinct protein, lipid, and RNA content, dependent on the pathophysiological state of the donor cell. The overall cargo content in EVPs is not equivalent to cellular levels, implying a regulated pathway for selection and export. In cancer, release and uptake of EVPs within the tumour microenvironment can influence growth, proliferation, invasiveness, and immune evasion. Secreted EVPs can also have distant, systemic effects that can promote metastasis. Here, we review current knowledge of EVP biogenesis and cargo selection with a focus on the role that extracellular RNA plays in oncogenesis and metastasis. Almost all subtypes of RNA have been identified in EVPs, with miRNAs being the best characterized. We review the roles of specific miRNAs that have been detected in EVPs and that play a role in oncogenesis and metastasis.

Regulatory mechanism and promising clinical application of exosomal circular RNA in gastric cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Exosomes are nanoscale extracellular vesicles secreted by a variety of cells and play an important role in cellular communication and epigenetics by transporting bioactive substances in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Circular RNA (circRNA) is a type of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) with a specific structure, which is widely enriched in exosomes and is involved in various pathophysiological processes mediated by exosomes. Exosomal circRNAs play a critical role in the development of GC by regulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), angiogenesis, proliferation, invasion, migration, and metastasis of GC. Given the biological characteristics of exosomal circRNAs, they have more significant diagnostic sensitivity and specificity in the clinic and may become biomarkers for GC diagnosis and prognosis. In this review, we briefly describe the biogenesis of exosomes and circRNAs and their biological functions, comprehensively summarize the mechanisms of exosomal circRNAs in the development of GC and chemotherapy resistance, and finally, we discuss the potential clinical application value and challenges of exosomal circRNAs in GC.

Extracellular vesicle-based liquid biopsy biomarkers and their application in precision immuno-oncology

While the field of precision oncology is rapidly expanding and more targeted options are revolutionizing cancer treatment paradigms, therapeutic resistance particularly to immunotherapy remains a pressing challenge. This can be largely attributed to the dynamic tumor-stroma interactions that continuously alter the microenvironment. While to date most advancements have been made through examining the clinical utility of tissue-based biomarkers, their invasive nature and lack of a holistic representation of the evolving disease in a real-time manner could result in suboptimal treatment decisions. Thus, using minimally-invasive approaches to identify biomarkers that predict and monitor treatment response as well as alert to the emergence of recurrences is of a critical need. Currently, research efforts are shifting towards developing liquid biopsy-based biomarkers obtained from patients over the course of disease. Liquid biopsy represents a unique opportunity to monitor intercellular communication within the tumor microenvironment which could occur through the exchange of extracellular vesicles (EVs). EVs are lipid bilayer membrane nanoscale vesicles which transfer a plethora of biomolecules that mediate intercellular crosstalk, shape the tumor microenvironment, and modify drug response. The capture of EVs using innovative approaches, such as microfluidics, magnetic beads, and aptamers, allow their analysis via high throughput multi-omics techniques and facilitate their use for biomarker discovery. Artificial intelligence, using machine and deep learning algorithms, is advancing multi-omics analyses to uncover candidate biomarkers and predictive signatures that are key for translation into clinical trials. With the increasing recognition of the role of EVs in mediating immune evasion and as a valuable biomarker source, these real-time snapshots of cellular communication are promising to become an important tool in the field of precision oncology and spur the recognition of strategies to block resistance to immunotherapy. In this review, we discuss the emerging role of EVs in biomarker research describing current advances in their isolation and analysis techniques as well as their function as mediators in the tumor microenvironment. We also highlight recent lung cancer and melanoma studies that point towards their application as predictive biomarkers for immunotherapy and their potential clinical use in precision immuno-oncology.

Extracellular vesicles modulate key signalling pathways in refractory wound healing

Chronic wounds are wounds that cannot heal properly due to various factors, such as underlying diseases, infection or reinjury, and improper healing of skin wounds and ulcers can cause a serious economic burden. Numerous studies have shown that extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from stem/progenitor cells promote wound healing, reduce scar formation and have significant advantages over traditional treatment methods. EVs are membranous particles that carry various bioactive molecules from their cellular origins, such as cytokines, nucleic acids, enzymes, lipids and proteins. EVs can mediate cell-to-cell communication and modulate various physiological processes, such as cell differentiation, angiogenesis, immune response and tissue remodelling. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in EV-based wound healing, focusing on the signalling pathways that are regulated by EVs and their cargos. We discuss how EVs derived from different types of stem/progenitor cells can promote wound healing and reduce scar formation by modulating the Wnt/β-catenin, phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin, vascular endothelial growth factor, transforming growth factor β and JAK-STAT pathways. Moreover, we also highlight the challenges and opportunities for engineering or modifying EVs to enhance their efficacy and specificity for wound healing.

Biomimicking Extracellular Vesicles with Fully Artificial Ones: A Rational Design of EV-BIOMIMETICS toward Effective Theranostic Tools in Nanomedicine

Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) are the protagonists in cell communication and membrane trafficking, being responsible for the delivery of innumerable biomolecules and signaling moieties. At the moment, they are of paramount interest to researchers, as they naturally show incredibly high efficiency and specificity in delivering their cargo. For these reasons, EVs are employed or inspire the development of nanosized therapeutic delivery systems. In this Perspective, we propose an innovative strategy for the rational design of EV-mimicking vesicles (EV-biomimetics) for theranostic scopes. We first report on the current state-of-the-art use of EVs and their byproducts, such as surface-engineered EVs and EV-hybrids, having an artificial cargo (drug molecule, genetic content, nanoparticles, or dye incorporated in their lumen). Thereafter, we report on the new emerging field of EV-mimicking vesicles for theranostic scopes. We introduce an approach to prepare new, fully artificial EV-biomimetics, with particular attention to maintaining the natural reference lipidic composition. We overview those studies investigating natural EV membranes and the possible strategies to identify key proteins involved in site-selective natural homing, typical of EVs, and their cargo transfer to recipient cells. We propose the use also of molecular simulations, in particular of machine learning models, to approach the problem of lipid organization and self-assembly in natural EVs. We also discuss the beneficial feedback that could emerge combining the experimental tests with atomistic and molecular simulations when designing an EV-biomimetics lipid bilayer. The expectations from both research and industrial fields on fully artificial EV-biomimetics, having the same key functions of natural ones plus new diagnostic or therapeutic functions, could be enormous, as they can greatly expand the nanomedicine applications and guarantee on-demand and scalable production, off-the-shelf storage, high reproducibility of morphological and functional properties, and compliance with regulatory standards.

Extracellular vesicle small RNA cargo discriminates non-cancer donors from pediatric B-lymphoblastic leukemia patients

Pediatric B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) is a disease of abnormally growing B lymphoblasts. Here we hypothesized that extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are nanosized particles released by all cells (including cancer cells), could be used to monitor B-ALL severity and progression by sampling plasma instead of bone marrow. EVs are especially attractive as they are present throughout the circulation regardless of the location of the originating cell. First, we used nanoparticle tracking analysis to compare EVs between non-cancer donor (NCD) and B-ALL blood plasma; we found that B-ALL plasma contains more EVs than NCD plasma. We then isolated EVs from NCD and pediatric B-ALL peripheral blood plasma using a synthetic peptide-based isolation technique (Vn96), which is clinically amenable and isolates a broad spectrum of EVs. RNA-seq analysis of small RNAs contained within the isolated EVs revealed a signature of differentially packaged and exclusively packaged RNAs that distinguish NCD from B-ALL. The plasma EVs contain a heterogenous mixture of miRNAs and fragments of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) and messenger RNA (mRNA). Transcripts packaged in B-ALL EVs include those involved in negative cell cycle regulation, potentially suggesting that B-ALL cells may use EVs to discard gene sequences that control growth. In contrast, NCD EVs carry sequences representative of multiple organs, including brain, muscle, and epithelial cells. This signature could potentially be used to monitor B-ALL disease burden in pediatric B-ALL patients via blood draws instead of invasive bone marrow aspirates.

Exosomal miR-222-3p contributes to castration-resistant prostate cancer by activating mTOR signaling

Despite the clinical benefits of androgen deprivation therapy, most patients with advanced androgen-dependent prostate cancer (ADPC) eventually relapse and progress to lethal androgen-independent prostate cancer (AIPC), also termed castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). MiRNAs can be packaged into exosomes (Exos) and shuttled between cells. However, the roles and mechanisms of exosomal miRNAs involved in CRPC progression have not yet been fully elucidated. Here, we find that miR-222-3p is elevated in AIPC cells, which results in remarkable enhancement of cell proliferation, migration, and invasion ability. Furthermore, Exos released by AIPC cells can be uptaken by ADPC cells, thus acclimating ADPC cells to progressing to more aggressive cell types in vitro and in vivo through exosomal transfer of miR-222-3p. Mechanistically, Exos-miR-222-3p promoted ADPC cells transformed to AIPC-like cells, at least in part, by activating mTOR signaling through targeting MIDN. Our results show that AIPC cells secrete Exos containing miRNA cargo. These cargos can be transferred to ADPC cells through paracrine mechanisms that have a strong impact on cellular functional remodeling. The current work underscores the great therapeutic potential of targeting Exo miRNAs, either as a single agent or combined with androgen receptor pathway inhibitors for CRPC treatment.

Effect of environmental exposures on cancer risk: Emerging role of non-coding RNA shuttled by extracellular vesicles

Environmental and lifestyle exposures have a huge impact on cancer risk; nevertheless, the biological mechanisms underlying this association remain poorly understood. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-enclosed particles actively released by all living cells, which play a key role in intercellular communication. EVs transport a variegate cargo of biomolecules, including non-coding RNA (ncRNA), which are well-known regulators of gene expression. Once delivered to recipient cells, EV-borne ncRNAs modulate a plethora of cancer-related biological processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation, and motility. In addition, the ncRNA content of EVs can be altered in response to outer stimuli. Such changes can occur either as an active attempt to adapt to the changing environment or as an uncontrolled consequence of cell homeostasis loss. In either case, such environmentally-driven alterations in EV ncRNA might affect the complex crosstalk between malignant cells and the tumor microenvironment, thus modulating the risk of cancer initiation and progression. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about EV ncRNAs at the interface between environmental and lifestyle determinants and cancer. In particular, we focus on the effect of smoking, air and water pollution, diet, exercise, and electromagnetic radiation. In addition, we have conducted a bioinformatic analysis to investigate the biological functions of the genes targeted by environmentally-regulated EV microRNAs. Overall, we draw a comprehensive picture of the role of EV ncRNA at the interface between external factors and cancer, which could be of great interest to the development of novel strategies for cancer prevention, diagnosis, and therapy.

Landscape of tumor and immune system cells-derived exosomes in lung cancer: mediators of antitumor immunity regulation

The immune system plays a critical role in cancer, including lung cancer, which is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Immunotherapy, particularly immune checkpoint blockade, has revolutionized the treatment of lung cancer, but a large subset of patients either do not respond or develop resistance. Exosomes, essential mediators of cell-to-cell communication, exert a profound influence on the tumor microenvironment and the interplay between cancer and the immune system. This review focuses on the role of tumor-derived exosomes and immune cells-derived exosomes in the crosstalk between these cell types, influencing the initiation and progression of lung cancer. Depending on their cell of origin and microenvironment, exosomes can contain immunosuppressive or immunostimulatory molecules that can either promote or inhibit tumor growth, thus playing a dual role in the disease. Furthermore, the use of exosomes in lung cancer immunotherapy is discussed. Their potential applications as cell-free vaccines and drug delivery systems make them an attractive option for lung cancer treatment. Additionally, exosomal proteins and RNAs emerge as promising biomarkers that could be employed for the prediction, diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring of the disease. In summary, this review assesses the relationship between exosomes, lung cancer, and the immune system, shedding light on their potential clinical applications and future perspectives.

CircABPD1 alleviates oxidative lung injury of bronchopulmonary dysplasia through regulating miR-330-3p/HIF1α axis

In the NICU, bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a concerning common respiratory complication in preterm and low birth-weight infants. Clinical studies have confirmed that human milk has an important nutritional role for children with BPD, therefore, dentification of beneficial components in human milk that prevent BPD is urgently needed. Our previous work showed that human milk exosomes (HM-Exos) could inhibit apoptosis of alveolar type II epithelial cells (AT II), and the circular RNA (circRNA)-circABPD1 were highly expressed in preterm colostrum milk exosomes. Exosomes transport circRNAs that are stable and may exert anti-inflammatory and immune effects attracted the attention of researchers, but the role and mechanism of human milk exosome-derived circABPD1 in BPD remains unclear. Here, we constructed BPD in vivo and in vitro models through exposure to hyperoxia, verified the effect of circABPD1 and revealed its mechanism through rescue experiments. We found that circABPD1 had circRNA properties, and overexpression of circABPD1 could improve reduced alveolar number, enlarged the alveolar linear intercept in vivo models of BPD, promote cell proliferation, reduce oxidative stress levels and alleviate lung epithelial cell damage in vivo and in vitro models. Mechanistically, circABPD1 targets miR-330-3p and regulates the expression of HIF1α. These results suggest that circABPD1 can improve the pathologoical changes of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, promote cell proliferation, inhibit oxidative stress level, and alleviate lung injury by targeting the miR-330-3p/HIF1α axis, which provides a new idea for the prevention and treatment of bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Melanoma-derived mediators can foster the premetastatic niche: crossroad to lymphatic metastasis

The natural history of advanced malignant melanoma demonstrates that, in most cases, widespread tumor dissemination is preceded by regional metastases involving tumor-draining lymph nodes [sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs)]. Under physiological conditions, LNs play a central role in immunosurveillance to non-self-antigens to which they are exposed via afferent lymph. The dysfunctional immunity in SLNs is mediated by tumor secretory factors that allow the survival of metastatic melanoma cells within the LN by creating a premetastatic niche (PMN). Recent studies outline the altered microenvironment of LNs shaped by melanoma mediators. Here, we discuss tumor secretory factors involved in subverting tumor immunity and remodeling LNs and highlight emerging therapeutic strategies to reinvigorate antitumoral immunity in SLNs.

Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals small extracellular vesicles derived from malignant cells that contribute to angiogenesis in human breast cancers

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women across the world. Tumor endothelial cells (TECs) and malignant cells are the major constituents of the tumor microenvironment (TME), but their origin and role in shaping disease initiation, progression, and treatment responses remain unclear due to significant heterogeneity.

METHODS

Tissue samples were collected from eight patients presenting with breast cancer. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis was employed to investigate the presence of distinct cell subsets in the tumor microenvironment. InferCNV was used to identify cancer cells. Pseudotime trajectory analysis revealed the dynamic process of breast cancer angiogenesis. We validated the function of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs)-derived protein phosphatase 1 regulatory inhibitor subunit 1B (PPP1R1B) in vitro experiments.

RESULTS

We performed single-cell transcriptomics analysis of the factors associated with breast cancer angiogenesis and identified twelve subclusters of endothelial cells involved in the tumor microenvironment. We also identified the role of TECs in tumor angiogenesis and confirmed their participation in different stages of angiogenesis, including communication with other cell types via sEVs. Overall, the research uncovered the TECs heterogeneity and the expression levels of genes at different stages of tumor angiogenesis.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed sEVs derived from breast cancer malignant cells promote blood vessel formation by activating endothelial cells through the transfer of PPP1R1B. This provides a new direction for the development of anti-angiogenic therapies for human breast cancer.

A Liquid Biopsy Signature for the Early Detection of Gastric Cancer in Patients

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Diagnosing gastric cancer (GC) while the disease remains eligible for surgical resection is challenging. In view of this clinical challenge, novel and robust biomarkers for early detection thus improving prognosis of GC are necessary. The present study is to develop a blood-based long noncoding RNA (LR) signature for the early-detection of GC.

METHODS

The present 3-step study incorporated data from 2141 patients, including 888 with GC, 158 with chronic atrophic gastritis, 193 with intestinal metaplasia, 501 healthy donors, and 401 with other gastrointestinal cancers. The LR profile of stage I GC tissue samples were analyzed using transcriptomic profiling in discovery phase. The extracellular vesicle (EV)-derived LR signature was identified with a training cohort (n = 554) and validated with 2 external cohorts (n = 429 and n = 504) and a supplemental cohort (n = 69).

RESULTS

In discovery phase, one LR (GClnc1) was found to be up-regulated in both tissue and circulating EV samples with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.9369 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.9073-0.9664) for early-stage GC (stage I/II). The diagnostic performance of this biomarker was further confirmed in 2 external validation cohorts (Xi'an cohort, AUC: 0.8839; 95% CI: 0.8336-0.9342; Beijing cohort, AUC: 0.9018; 95% CI: 0.8597-0.9439). Moreover, EV-derived GClnc1 robustly distinguished early-stage GC from precancerous lesions (chronic atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia) and GC with negative traditional gastrointestinal biomarkers (CEA, CA72-4, and CA19-9). The low levels of this biomarker in postsurgery and other gastrointestinal tumor plasma samples indicated its GC specificity.

CONCLUSIONS

EV-derived GClnc1 serves as a circulating biomarker for the early detection of GC, thus providing opportunities for curative surgery and improved survival outcomes.

miRNA, lncRNA and circRNA: targeted molecules with therapeutic promises in Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection

Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) is primarily recognized as a respiratory pathogen that causes community-acquired pneumonia, which can lead to acute upper and lower airway inflammation and extrapulmonary syndrome. Refractory pneumonia caused by MP can cause severe complications and even be life-threatening, particularly in infants and the elderly. It is well-known that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) represented by miRNAs, lncRNAs and circRNAs have been manifested to be widely involved in the regulation of gene expression. Growing evidence indicates that these ncRNAs have distinct differentiated expression in MP infection and affect multiple biological processes, playing an indispensable role in the initiation and promotion of MP infection. However, the epigenetic mechanisms involved in the development of MP infection remain unclear. This article reviews the mechanisms by which miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs mediate MP infection, such as inflammatory responses, apoptosis and pulmonary fibrosis. Focusing on miRNAs, lncRNAs and circRNAs associated with MP infection could provide new insights into this disease's early diagnosis and therapeutic approaches.

Identification of miRNAs in extracellular vesicles as potential diagnostic markers for pediatric epilepsy and drug-resistant epilepsy via bioinformatics analysis

Background

Pediatric epilepsy (PE) is a common neurological disease. However, many challenges regarding the clinical diagnosis and treatment of PE and drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) remain unsettled. Our study aimed to identify potential miRNA biomarkers in children with epilepsy and drug-resistant epilepsy by scrutinizing differential miRNA expression profiles.

Methods

In this study, miRNA expression profiles in plasma extracellular vesicles (EV) of normal controls, children with drug-effective epilepsy (DEE), and children with DRE were obtained. In addition, differential analysis, transcription factor (TF) enrichment analysis, Gene ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses, and target gene prediction were used to identify specifically expressed miRNAs and their potential mechanisms of action. Potential diagnostic markers for DRE were identified using machine learning algorithms, and their diagnostic efficiency was assessed by the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC).

Results

The hsa-miR-1307-3p, hsa-miR-196a-5p, hsa-miR-199a-3p, and hsa-miR-21-5p were identified as diagnostic markers for PE, with values of area under curve (AUC) 0.780, 0.840, 0.832, and 0.816, respectively. In addition, the logistic regression model incorporating these four miRNAs had an AUC value of 0.940, and its target gene enrichment analysis highlighted that these miRNAs were primarily enriched in the PI3K-Akt, MAPK signaling pathways, and cell cycle. Furthermore, hsa-miR-99a-5p, hsa-miR-532-5p, hsa-miR-181d-5p, and hsa-miR-181a-5p showed good performance in differentiating children with DRE from those with DEE, with AUC values of 0.737 (0.534-0.940), 0.737 (0.523-0.952), 0.788 (0.592-0.985), and 0.788 (0.603-0.974), respectively.

Conclusion

This study characterized the expression profile of miRNAs in plasma EVs of children with epilepsy and identified miRNAs that can be used for the diagnosis of DRE.

Exosomal circRNA: emerging insights into cancer progression and clinical application potential

Exosomal circRNA serves a novel genetic information molecule, facilitating communication between tumor cells and microenvironmental cells, such as immune cells, fibroblasts, and other components, thereby regulating critical aspects of cancer progression including immune escape, tumor angiogenesis, metabolism, drug resistance, proliferation and metastasis. Interestingly, microenvironment cells have new findings in influencing tumor progression and immune escape mediated by the release of exosomal circRNA. Given the intrinsic stability, abundance, and broad distribution of exosomal circRNAs, they represent excellent diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for liquid biopsy. Moreover, artificially synthesized circRNAs may open up new possibilities for cancer therapy, potentially bolstered by nanoparticles or plant exosome delivery strategies. In this review, we summarize the functions and underlying mechanisms of tumor cell and non-tumor cell-derived exosomal circRNAs in cancer progression, with a special focus on their roles in tumor immunity and metabolism. Finally, we examine the potential application of exosomal circRNAs as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets, highlighting their promise for clinical use.

Targeting tumor-derived exosome-mediated premetastatic niche formation: The metastasis-preventive value of traditional Chinese medicine

Tumor-derived exosome (TDE)-mediated premetastatic niche (PMN) formation is a potential mechanism underlying the organotropic metastasis of primary tumors. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has shown considerable success in preventing and treating tumor metastasis. However, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. In this review, we discussed PMN formation from the perspectives of TDE biogenesis, cargo sorting, and TDE recipient cell alterations, which are critical for metastatic outgrowth. We also reviewed the metastasis-preventive effects of TCM, which act by targeting the physicochemical materials and functional mediators of TDE biogenesis, regulating the cargo sorting machinery and secretory molecules in TDEs, and targeting the TDE-recipient cells involved in PMN formation.

Cigarette smoking induces lung cancer tumorigenesis via upregulation of the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway

Lung cancer has the highest mortality rate compared to any other cancer worldwide, and cigarette smoking is one of the major etiological factors. How cigarette smoke (CS) induces tumorigenesis in healthy cells is still not completely understood. In this study, we treated healthy human bronchial epithelial cells (16HBE14o) with 1 % cigarette smoke extract (CSE) for one week. The CSE exposed cells showed upregulation of WNT/β-catenin pathway genes like WNT3, DLV3, AXIN and β-catenin, 30 oncology proteins were found to be upregulated after CSE treatment. Further, we explored whether the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) obtained from CSE exposed cells can induce tumorigenesis. We observed that CSE EVs induced migration of healthy 16HBE14o cells by upregulation of various oncology proteins in recipient cells like AXL, EGFR, DKK1, ENG, FGF2, ICAM1, HMOX1, HIF1a, SERPINE1, SNAIL, HGFR, PLAU which are related to WNT signaling, epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) and Inflammation, whereas inflammatory marker, GAL-3 and EMT marker, VIM were downregulated. Moreover, β-catenin RNA was found in CSE EVs, upon treatment of these EVs to healthy cells, the β-catenin gene level was decreased in recipient cells compared to healthy 16HBE14o cells, indicating the utilisation of β-catenin RNA in healthy cells. Overall, our study suggests that CS treatment can induce tumorigenesis of healthy cells by upregulating WNT/β-catenin signaling in vitro and human lung cancer patients. Therefore targeting the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway is involved in tumorigenesis inhibition of this pathway could be a potential therapeutic approach for cigarette smoke induced lung cancer.

Downregulation of miR-100-5p in cancer-associated fibroblast-derived exosomes facilitates lymphangiogenesis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), an aggressive gastrointestinal tumor, often has high early lymphatic metastatic potential. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are primary components in tumor microenvironment (TME), and the impact of CAFs and its derived exosomes on lymphangiogenesis remains elusive.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

CAFs and the microlymphatic vessel density (MLVD) in ESCC was examined. Exosomes were extracted from primary normal fibroblast (NFs) and CAFs. Subsequently, tumor-associated lymphatic endothelial cells (TLECs) were treated with these exosomes, and the effect on their biological behavior was examined. miR-100-5p was selected as the target miRNA, and its effect on TLECs was examined. The target of miR-100-5p was predicted and confirmed. Subsequently, IGF1R, PI3K, AKT, and p-AKT expression in TLECs and tumors treated with exosomes and miR-100-5p were examined.

RESULTS

A large number of CAFs and microlymphatic vessels were present in ESCC, leading to a poor prognosis. CAF-derived exosomes promoted proliferation, migration, invasion, and tube formation in TLECs. Further, they also enhanced lymphangiogenesis in ESCC xenografts. miR-100-5p levels were significantly lower in CAF-derived exosomes than in NF-derived exosomes. miR-100-5p inhibited proliferation, migration, invasion, and tube formation in TLECs. Further, miR-100-5p inhibited lymphangiogenesis in ESCC xenografts. Mechanistic studies revealed that this inhibition was mediated by the miR-100-5p-induced inhibition of IGF1R/PI3K/AKT axis.

CONCLUSION

Taken together, our study demonstrates that CAF-derived exosomes with decreased miR-100-5p levels exhibit pro-lymphangiogenesis capacity, suggesting a possibility of targeting IGF1R/PI3K/AKT axis as a strategy to inhibit lymphatic metastasis in ESCC.

Targeting non-coding RNAs in sEVs: The biological functions and potential therapeutic strategy of diabetic cardiomyopathy

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is defined as abnormalities in myocardial structure and function in the setting of diabetes and in the absence of cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary artery disease, hypertension, and valvular heart disease. DCM is one of the leading causes of mortality in patients with diabetes. However, the underlying pathogenesis of DCM has not been fully elucidated. Recent studies have revealed that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) are closely associated with DCM and may act as potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets. Here, we introduced the role of sEV-ncRNAs in DCM, summarized the current therapeutic advancements and limitations of sEV-related ncRNAs against DCM, and discussed their potential improvement.

An exosome-related lncRNA signature correlates with prognosis, immune microenvironment, and therapeutic responses in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Exosomes act as essential modulators of cancer development and progression in hepatocellular carcinoma. However, little is known about the potential prognostic value and underlying molecular features of exosome-related long non-coding RNAs.

METHODS

Genes associated with exosome biogenesis, exosome secretion, and exosome biomarkers were collected. Exosome-related lncRNA modules were identified using PCA and WGCNA analysis. A prognostic model based on data from the TCGA, GEO, NODE, and ArrayExpress was developed and validated. A comprehensive analysis of the genomic landscape, functional annotation, immune profile, and therapeutic responses underlying the prognostic signature was performed on multi-omics data, and bioinformatics methods were also applied to predict potential drugs for patients with high risk scores. qRT-PCR was used to validate the differentially expressed lncRNAs in normal and cancer cell lines.

RESULTS

Twenty-six hub lncRNAs were identified as highly correlated with exosomes and overall survival and were used for prognosis modeling. Three cohorts consistently showed higher scores in the high-risk group, with an AUC greater than 0.7 over time. These higher scores implied poorer overall survival, higher genomic instability, higher tumor purity, higher tumor stemness, pro-tumor pathway activation, lower anti-tumor immune cell and tertiary lymphoid structure infiltration, and poor responses to immune checkpoint blockade therapy and transarterial chemoembolization therapy.

CONCLUSION

Through developing an exosome-related lncRNA predictor for HCC patients, we revealed the clinical relevance of exosome-related lncRNAs and their potential as prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic response predictors.

Non-Coding RNAs Derived from Extracellular Vesicles Promote Pre-Metastatic Niche Formation and Tumor Distant Metastasis

Metastasis is a critical stage of tumor progression, a crucial challenge of clinical therapy, and a major cause of tumor patient death. Numerous studies have confirmed that distant tumor metastasis is dependent on the formation of pre-metastatic niche (PMN). Recent studies have shown that extracellular vesicles (EVs) play an important role in PMN formation. The non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) derived from EVs mediate PMN formation and tumor-distant metastasis by promoting an inflammatory environment, inhibiting anti-tumor immune response, inducing angiogenesis and permeability, and by microenvironmental reprogramming. Given the stability and high abundance of ncRNAs carried by EVs in body fluids, they have great potential for application in tumor diagnosis as well as targeted interventions. This review focuses on the mechanism of ncRNAs derived from EVs promoting tumor PMN formation and distant metastasis to provide a theoretical reference for strategies to control tumor metastasis.

Extracellular vesicle RNA signaling in the liver tumor microenvironment

The tumor microenvironment (TME) in liver cancers such as hepatocellular cancer (HCC) consists of a complex milieu of liver tissue-resident cells, infiltrated immune cells, and secreted factors that collectively serve to promote tumor growth and progression. Intercellular crosstalk contributes to tissue homeostasis, and perturbations during injury, inflammation and tumorigenesis that are important for tumor progression. Extracellular vesicle (EV)-mediated transfer of a payload of RNA molecules that serve as an intercellular signaling is an important contributor to tissue homeostasis within the TME. Several types of RNA have been implicated in EV-mediated signaling. Biological processes that can be modulated by EV RNA signaling within the liver include tumor growth, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, and modulation of the immune cell activities. This mini-review describes the liver TME, and the biological effects of EV RNA-mediated signaling within the liver to highlight the role of EV RNA in intercellular communication.

Extracellular Vesicles as Delivery Shippers for Noncoding RNA-Based Modulation of Angiogenesis: Insights from Ischemic Stroke and Cancer

Ischemic stroke and systemic cancer are two of the leading causes of mortality. Hypoxia is a central pathophysiological component in ischemic stroke and cancer, representing a joint medical function. This function includes angiogenesis regulation. Vascular remodeling coupled with axonal outgrowth following cerebral ischemia is critical in improving poststroke neurological functional recovery. Antiangiogenic strategies can inhibit cancer vascularization and play a vital role in impeding cancer growth, invasion, and metastasis. Although there are significant differences in the cause of angiogenesis across both pathophysiological conditions, emerging evidence states that common signaling structures, such as extracellular vesicles (EVs) and noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), are involved in this context. EVs, heterogeneous membrane vesicles encapsulating proteomic genetic information from parental cells, act as multifunctional regulators of intercellular communication. Among the multifaceted roles in modulating biological responses, exhaustive evidence shows that ncRNAs are selectively sorted into EVs, modulating common specific aspects of cancer development and stroke prognosis, namely, angiogenesis. This review will discuss recent advancements in the EV-facilitated/inhibited progression of specific elements of angiogenesis with a particular concern about ncRNAs within these vesicles. The review is concluded by underlining the clinical opportunities of EV-derived ncRNAs as diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic agents.

Prognostic marker C3AR1 is associated with ovarian cancer cell proliferation and immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment

BACKGROUND

C3AR1 was reported in driving tumor immunity in multiple cancers. However, its roles in ovarian cancer remain unclear. This study aims to determine role of C3AR1 in prognosis and regulating tumor infiltrating immune cells of ovarian cancer (OC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The expression, prognosis and clinical data related to C3AR1 were collected from public databases such as The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Human Protein Atlas (HPA) and Clinical Proteomics Tumor Analysis Alliance (CPTAC), and further analyze their relationship with immune infiltration. Immunohistochemistry verified the expression of C3AR1 in ovarian cancer and control tissues. C3AR1 was forced expressed in SKOV3 cells by plasmid transfection, and verified by qRT-PCR and Western blot. Cell proliferation were evaluated by EdU assay.

RESULTS

Bioinformatics analysis (TCGA, CPTAC) and immunohistochemical staining of clinical samples confirmed higher C3AR1 expression in ovarian cancer than that in normal tissues. High C3AR1 expression predicted adverse clinical outcomes. KEGG and GO analysis showed that the biological processes of C3AR1 in ovarian cancer are mainly involved in T cell activation, cytokine and chemokine activation. C3AR1 expression was positively correlated with chemokines and their receptors in the tumor microenvironment, such as CCR1(R = 0.83), IL10RA (R = 0.92), and INFG (R = 0.74). In addition, increased C3AR1 expression predicted more infiltration of tumor-associated macrophages, dendritic cell and CD8 + T cell. Some important m6A regulators, such as IGF2BP2, ALKBH5, IGFBP3 and METL14, are significantly positively or negatively correlated with C3AR1. Finally, overexpression of C3AR1 significantly increased proliferation of SKOV3 cells.

CONCLUSION

In summary, our study suggested that C3AR1 is associated with the prognosis and immune cell infiltration of ovarian cancer, and is a promising immunotherapeutic target.

Microparticle Phosphatidylserine Mediates Coagulation: Involvement in Tumor Progression and Metastasis

Tumor progression and cancer metastasis has been linked to the release of microparticles (MPs), which are shed upon cell activation or apoptosis and display parental cell antigens, phospholipids such as phosphatidylserine (PS), and nucleic acids on their external surfaces. In this review, we highlight the biogenesis of MPs as well as the pathophysiological processes of PS externalization and its involvement in coagulation activation. We review the available evidence, suggesting that coagulation factors (mainly tissue factor, thrombin, and fibrin) assist in multiple steps of tumor dissemination, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition, extracellular matrix remodeling, immune escape, and tumor angiogenesis to support the formation of the pre-metastatic niche. Platelets are not just bystander cells in circulation but are functional players in primary tumor growth and metastasis. Tumor-induced platelet aggregation protects circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from the blood flow shear forces and immune cell attack while also promoting the binding of CTCs to endothelial cells and extravasation, which activates tumor invasion and sustains metastasis. Finally, in terms of therapy, lactadherin can inhibit coagulation by competing effectively with coagulation factors for PS binding sites and may similarly delay tumor progression. Furthermore, we also investigate the therapeutic potential of coagulation factor inhibitors within the context of cancer treatment. The development of multiple therapies targeting platelet activation and platelet-tumor cell interactions may not only reduce the lethal consequences of thrombosis but also impede tumor growth and spread.