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Review
. 2016 Dec;98(Pt A):66-72.
doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2016.06.010. Epub 2016 Jun 14.

Extracellular miRNAs as biomarkers in cancer

Jennifer F Barger  1 , Mohammad A Rahman  2 , Devine Jackson  2 , Mario Acunzo  3 , S Patrick Nana-Sinkam  4
Affiliations
Review

Extracellular miRNAs as biomarkers in cancer

Jennifer F Barger et al. Food Chem Toxicol. 2016 Dec.

Abstract

Cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide. Despite significant progress in the field leading to identification of molecular signatures of individual tumors and the development of targeted therapies, early cancer diagnosis remains a clinical challenge. The emerging era of personalized medicine has intensified research towards biomarkers that can be obtained via noninvasive means. The recent discovery of extracellular vesicles (EVs), nano-vesicles secreted by the cell, in circulation has stimulated interest in their clinical utility as cancer biomarkers. EVs are secreted from all types of cells and their contents reflect the physiological and pathological state of the cell. Multiple clinical trials are underway investigating the clinical potential of EV content to serve as biomarkers and therapeutics. However, much work remains to translate EV content into clinical application.

Keywords: Biomarker; Cancer; Clinical trial; Exosome; Extracellular vesicle; MicroRNA.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Extracellular Vesicle Biogenesis and secretion
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) form from invagination of the early endosome capturing content including nucleotides and proteins. This content reflects the physiological and pathological state of the cell. The EVs fuse with the plasma membrane and are released into the extracellular space. EVs have been identified in biological fluids including the blood and urine.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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