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Review
. 2020 Jun;53(6):e12828.
doi: 10.1111/cpr.12828. Epub 2020 May 11.

Role of exosomal microRNAs in lung cancer biology and clinical applications

Chengping Hu  1 , Silke Meiners  2   3 , Christina Lukas  2   3 , Georgios T Stathopoulos  2   3   4 , Jie Chen  1
Affiliations
Review

Role of exosomal microRNAs in lung cancer biology and clinical applications

Chengping Hu et al. Cell Prolif. 2020 Jun.

Abstract

Exosomes, small extracellular vesicles ranging from 30 to 150 nm, are secreted by various cell types, including tumour cells. Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) were identified to be encapsulated and hence protected from degradation within exosomes. These exosomal miRNAs can be horizontally transferred to target cells, in which they subsequently modulate biological processes. Increasing evidence indicates that exosomal miRNAs play a critical role in modifying the microenvironment of lung cancers, possibly facilitating progression, invasion, angiogenesis, metastasis and drug resistance. In this review, we summarize the novel findings on exosomal miRNA functions during lung cancer initiation and progression. In addition, we highlight their potential role and challenges as biomarkers in lung cancer diagnosis, prognosis and drug resistance and as therapeutic agents.

Keywords: biomarker; exosomal miRNAs; exosomes; lung cancer; therapy.

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Conflict of interest statement

None.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Biology of exosomal miRNAs. In animals, microRNA (miRNA) genes are transcribed into primary miRNAs (pri‐miRNAs) by RNA polymerase II (Pol‐II) and then processed by the Drosha complex to form precursor miRNAs (pre‐miRNAs), which are exported into the cytoplasm by the exportin5 complex. The pre‐miRNAs are digested by the Dicer complex to become double‐stranded miRNAs. With the help of a helicase, they are then turned into single‐stranded mature miRNAs. Mature miRNAs are sorted into multivesicular bodies (MVBs). The MVBs are then transported along microtubules to the plasma membrane and released as exosomes. Exosomes with special miRNAs from the parent cell can interact with the recipient cell through different ways, such as by fusion via clathrin‐dependent endocytosis, clathrin‐independent endocytosis (micropinocytosis or phagocytosis), caveolae‐mediated endocytosis or lipid raft‐dependent endocytosis. Once exosomes enter recipient cells, exosomal miRNAs may act in target repression
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Exosomal miRNAs in lung cancer. Lung cancer cells export exosomal miRNAs to parent cells to affect their proliferation, angiogenesis, EMT and metastasis. Lung cancer cells are also able to export exosomal miRNAs to immune cells and influence the function of immune cells
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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