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Review
. 2017:2017:2931813.
doi: 10.1155/2017/2931813. Epub 2017 Feb 7.

Functional Roles and Therapeutic Applications of Exosomes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Laura Santangelo  1 , Cecilia Battistelli  2 , Claudia Montaldo  1 , Franca Citarella  2 , Raffaele Strippoli  2 , Carla Cicchini  2
Affiliations
Review

Functional Roles and Therapeutic Applications of Exosomes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Laura Santangelo et al. Biomed Res Int. 2017.

Abstract

Exosomes are important in intercellular communication. They assure the horizontal transfer of specific functional contents (i.e., proteins, lipids, RNA molecules, and circulating DNA) from donor to recipient cells. Notably, tumor-derived exosomes (TDEs) appear to be an important vehicle of specific signals in cancer, impacting on tumor growth and metastasis. Recent researches point to the characterization of exosomes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC), the major adult liver malignancy. In this review, we summarize current findings on HCC exosomes, focusing on the identification of noncoding RNAs as exosome-enriched functional regulators and new potential biomarkers. The great potential of exosomes in future HCC diagnostic and therapeutic approaches is underlined.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors declare that they have no potential conflicts (financial, professional, or personal) that are relevant to the manuscript.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Summary of the specific composition of HCC exosome. Known exosomal markers (such as tetraspanins and TSG101), as well as HCC exosome-enriched proteins and RNAs, are represented in the scheme.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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