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Review
. 2016 Jul;142(1):199-205.
doi: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2016.03.036. Epub 2016 Apr 10.

The biological significance and clinical applications of exosomes in ovarian cancer

Kalpana Deepa Priya Dorayappan  1 , John J Wallbillich  1 , David E Cohn  1 , Karuppaiyah Selvendiran  2
Affiliations
Review

The biological significance and clinical applications of exosomes in ovarian cancer

Kalpana Deepa Priya Dorayappan et al. Gynecol Oncol. 2016 Jul.

Abstract

Exosomes are nano-sized (20-100nm) vesicles released by a variety of cells and are generated within the endosomal system or at the plasma membrane. There is emerging evidence that exosomes play a key role in intercellular communication in ovarian and other cancers. The protein and microRNA content of exosomes has been implicated in various intracellular processes that mediate oncogenesis, tumor spread, and drug resistance. Exosomes may prime distant tissue sites for reception of future metastases and their release can be mediated by the tumor microenvironment (e.g., hypoxia). Ovarian cancer-derived exosomes have unique features that could be leveraged for use as biomarkers to facilitate improved detection and treatment of the disease. Further, exosomes have the potential to serve as targets and/or drug delivery vehicles in the treatment of ovarian cancer. In this review we discuss the biological and clinical significance of exosomes relevant to the progression, detection, and treatment of ovarian cancer.

Keywords: Bio-marker; Exosomes; Hypoxia; Ovarian cancer; micro RNA.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest Statement - The all authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1
Exosome release and impact after reception. Ovarian cancer cells release exosomes, which fuse recipient cells. Recipient cells can either be other ovarian cancer cells or stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment. The protein and microRNA content of the exosomes act on the recipient cells, promoting tumor progression and drug resistance.
Fig 2
Fig 2
Exosome release is influenced by hypoxic tumor microenvironment. In normoxic conditions, the late endosomes tend to be move and fuse with the lysosomes for further degradation and recycling. In hypoxic conditions, the late endosomes or the multivesicular bodies (MVB’s) are more likely to be assigned to a secretory pathway due to aberrant lysosomal trafficking and its altered phenotype causing them to move towards the periphery and fuse with the plasma membrane releasing the intraluminal vesicles (ILVs), or exosomes. The reason for the disposition of these to the secretory or degradative pathway is unknown which may involve the lysosomes and RAB proteins regulating the endosomal trafficking.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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