scholarly journals MicroRNAs and miRceptors: a new mechanism of action for intercellular communication

2017 ◽  
Vol 373 (1737) ◽  
pp. 20160486 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muller Fabbri
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Extracellular Vesicles ◽  
Mechanism Of Action ◽  
Intercellular Communication ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Tumour Microenvironment ◽  
Signalling Pathways ◽  
Non Coding Rnas ◽  
Cancerous Cells

MicroRNAs (miRs) are small non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) that control the expression of target genes by modulating (usually inhibiting) their translation into proteins. This ‘traditional’ mechanism of action of miRs has been recently challenged by new discoveries pointing towards a role of miRs as ‘hormones’, capable of binding to proteic receptors (miRceptors) and triggering their downstream signalling pathways. These findings harbour particular significance within the tumour microenvironment (TME), defined as the variety of non-cancerous cells surrounding cancer cells, but are relevant also for other diseases. In recent years it has become clearer that the TME does not passively assist the growth of cancer cells but contributes to its biology. Some of the mediators of the intercellular communication between cancer cells and TME are miRs shuttled within exosomes, a subtype of cellular released extracellular vesicles. This article will highlight the most recent findings on the biological implications of miR–miRceptor interactions for the biology of the TME and other diseases, and will provide some perspectives on the future development of this fascinating research. This article is part of the discussion meeting issue ‘Extracellular vesicles and the tumour microenvironment’.

scholarly journals Extracellular Vesicles in Cancer Metabolism: Implications for Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 153303382110378
Author(s):  
Qian Zhang ◽  
Xiangling Yang ◽  
Huanliang Liu
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Extracellular Vesicles ◽  
Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
Cancer Metabolism ◽  
Metabolic Reprogramming ◽  
Bioactive Molecules ◽  
Diagnosis And Treatment ◽  
Existing Problems ◽  
Non Coding Rnas

Metabolic reprogramming is one of the most common characteristics of cancer cells. The metabolic alterations of glucose, amino acids and lipids can support the aggressive phenotype of cancer cells. Exosomes, a kind of extracellular vesicles, participate in the intercellular communication through transferring bioactive molecules. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that enzymes, metabolites and non-coding RNAs in exosomes are responsible for the metabolic alteration of cancer cells. In this review, we summarize the past and recent findings of exosomes in altering cancer metabolism and elaborate on the role of the specific enzymes, metabolites and non-coding RNAs transferred by exosomes. Moreover, we give evidence of the role of exosomes in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Finally, we discuss the existing problems in the study and application of exosomes in cancer diagnosis and treatment.

scholarly journals Extracellular Vesicles as Mediators of Therapy Resistance in the Breast Cancer Microenvironment

Biomolecules ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 132
Author(s):  
Mark Samuels ◽  
Chiara Cilibrasi ◽  
Panagiotis Papanastasopoulos ◽  
Georgios Giamas
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Drug Resistance ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Extracellular Vesicles ◽  
Breast Cancer Cells ◽  
Therapy Resistance ◽  
Tumour Microenvironment ◽  
Cancer Microenvironment ◽  
Bidirectional Communication

Resistance to various therapies, including novel immunotherapies, poses a major challenge in the management of breast cancer and is the leading cause of treatment failure. Bidirectional communication between breast cancer cells and the tumour microenvironment is now known to be an important contributor to therapy resistance. Several studies have demonstrated that crosstalk with the tumour microenvironment through extracellular vesicles is an important mechanism employed by cancer cells that leads to drug resistance via changes in protein, lipid and nucleic acid cargoes. Moreover, the cargo content enables extracellular vesicles to be used as effective biomarkers for predicting response to treatments and as potential therapeutic targets. This review summarises the literature to date regarding the role of extracellular vesicles in promoting therapy resistance in breast cancer through communication with the tumour microenvironment.

scholarly journals miRNAs in the Regulation of Cancer Immune Response: Effect of miRNAs on Cancer Immunotherapy

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 6145
Author(s):  
Faheem Hyder Pottoo ◽  
Ashif Iqubal ◽  
Mohammad Kashif Iqubal ◽  
Mohammed Salahuddin ◽  
Jawad Ur Rahman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Checkpoint ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Immune Escape ◽  
Clinical Success ◽  
Therapeutic Option ◽  
Tumour Microenvironment ◽  
Signalling Pathways ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Immune Checkpoint Blockers

In the last few decades, carcinogenesis has been extensively explored and substantial research has identified immunogenic involvement in various types of cancers. As a result, immune checkpoint blockers and other immune-based therapies were developed as novel immunotherapeutic strategies. However, despite being a promising therapeutic option, immunotherapy has significant constraints such as a high cost of treatment, unpredictable toxicity, and clinical outcomes. miRNAs are non-coding, small RNAs actively involved in modulating the immune system’s multiple signalling pathways by binding to the 3′-UTR of target genes. miRNAs possess a unique advantage in modulating multiple targets of either the same or different signalling pathways. Therefore, miRNA follows a ‘one drug multiple target’ hypothesis. Attempts are made to explore the therapeutic promise of miRNAs in cancer so that it can be transported from bench to bedside for successful immunotherapeutic results. Therefore, in the current manuscript, we discussed, in detail, the mechanism and role of miRNAs in different types of cancers relating to the immune system, its diagnostic and therapeutic aspect, the effect on immune escape, immune-checkpoint molecules, and the tumour microenvironment. We have also discussed the existing limitations, clinical success and the prospective use of miRNAs in cancer.

Emerging role of non-coding RNAs in response of cancer cells to radiotherapy

2021 ◽  
Vol 218 ◽  
pp. 153327
Author(s):  
Kaveh Ebahimzadeh ◽  
Hamed Shoorei ◽  
Seyed Ali Mousavinejad ◽  
Farhad Tondro Anamag ◽  
Marcel E. Dinger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Non Coding Rnas

scholarly journals Exosomic microRNAs as emerging key regulators of intercellular communication in the tumor microenvironment and beyond

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariam Murtadha ◽  
Muller Fabbri
Keyword(s):  
Tumor Microenvironment ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Intercellular Communication ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Biological Fluids ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Gene Regulatory ◽  
Non Coding Rnas ◽  
Regulatory Functions

AbstractMicroRNAs (miRs) are small non-coding RNAs with key gene regulatory functions. Recent evidence has shown that miRs have a central role in shaping the biology of the Tumor Microenvironment (TME). The discovery that some exosomes contain high levels of miR cargo that shuttle between cells and mediate intercellular cross-talk has shifted the focus of miR research towards understanding the biological role of exosomic miRs. In this review, we highlight the emerging role of exosomic miRs in molding the tumor microenvironment towards pro-tumor conditions by altering intercellular communication. We briefly discuss some mechanisms of selective loading of miRs into exosomes, as well as emerging evidence that exosomic miRs are present in all biological fluids. Furthermore, we describe the differences in the exosomic miR signatures between cancer patients and healthy controls, and the potential role of exosomic miRs as diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic biomarkers.

scholarly journals MicroRNAs in the tumour microenvironment: big role for small players

2013 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. R257-R267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patsy Soon ◽  
Hippokratis Kiaris
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Characteristics ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Anticancer Therapy ◽  
Tumour Microenvironment ◽  
Regulatory Role ◽  
Tumour Stroma ◽  
Physiological Processes ◽  
Non Coding Rnas

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) represent a class of small non-coding RNAs with an important regulatory role in various physiological processes as well as in several pathologies including cancers. It is noteworthy that recent evidence suggests that the regulatory role of miRNAs during carcinogenesis is not limited to the cancer cells but they are also implicated in the activation of tumour stroma and its transition into a cancer-associated state. Results from experimental studies involving cells culturedin vitroand mice bearing experimental tumours, corroborated by profiling of clinical cancers for miRNA expression, underline this role and identify miRNAs as a potent regulator of the crosstalk between cancer and stroma cells. Considering the fundamental role of the tumour microenvironment in determining both the clinical characteristics of the disease and the efficacy of anticancer therapy, miRNAs emerge as an attractive target bearing important prognostic and therapeutic significance during carcinogenesis. In this article, we will review the available results that underline the role of miRNAs in tumour stroma biology and emphasise their potential value as tools for the management of the disease.

Zika virus hijacks extracellular vesicle tetraspanin pathways for cell-to-cell transmission

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara B. York ◽  
Li Sun ◽  
Allaura S. Cone ◽  
Leanne C. Duke ◽  
Mujeeb R. Cheerathodi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Extracellular Vesicles ◽  
Intercellular Communication ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Biological Fluids ◽  
Virus Transmission ◽  
First Trimester ◽  
Enhanced Production ◽  
Infected Cells ◽  
Encapsulated Structures

ABSTRACTExtracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-encapsulated structures released by cells which carry signaling factors, proteins and microRNAs that mediate intercellular communication. Accumulating evidence supports an important role of EVs in the progression of neurological conditions and both the spread and pathogenesis of infectious diseases. It has recently been demonstrated that EVs from Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected individuals and cells contained replicative-competent viral RNA that was capable of infecting hepatocytes. Being a member of the same viral family, it is likely the Zika virus also hijacks EV pathways to package viral components and secrete vesicles that are infectious and potentially less immunogenic. As EVs have been shown to cross blood-brain and placental barriers, it is possible that Zika virus could usurp normal EV biology to gain access to the brain or developing fetus. Here, we demonstrate that Zika virus infected cells secrete distinct EV sub-populations with specific viral protein profiles and infectious genomes. Zika virus infection resulted in the enhanced production of EVs with varying sizes and density compared to those released from non-infected cells. We also show that the EV enriched tetraspanin CD63 regulates the release of EVs, and Zika viral genomes and capsids following infection. Overall, these findings provide evidence for an alternative means of Zika virus transmission and demonstrate the role of EV biogenesis and trafficking proteins in the modulation of Zika infection.ImportanceZika virus is a re-emerging infectious disease that spread rapidly across the Caribbean and South America. Infection of pregnant women during the first trimester has been linked to microcephaly, a neurological condition where babies are born with smaller heads due to abnormal brain development. Babies born with microcephaly can develop convulsions and suffer disabilities as they age. Despite the significance of Zika virus, little is known about how the virus infects the fetus or causes disease. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-encapsulated structures released by cells that are present in all biological fluids. EVs carry signaling factors, proteins and microRNAs that mediate intercellular communication. EVs have been shown to be a means by which some viruses can alter cellular environments and cross previously unpassable cellular barriers. Thus gaining a greater understanding of how Zika affects EV cargo may aid in the development of better diagnostics, targeted therapeutics and prophylactic treatments.

Extracellular vesicles, stem cells and the role of miRNAs in neurodegeneration

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayaz M. Belkozhayev ◽  
Minnatallah Al-Yozbaki ◽  
Alex George ◽  
Raigul Ye Niyazova ◽  
Kamalidin O. Sharipov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽  
Extracellular Vesicles ◽  
Intercellular Communication ◽  
Direct Consequence ◽  
Therapeutic Benefit ◽  
The Body ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Crucial Information

There are different modalities of intercellular communication governed by cellular homeostasis. In this review, we will explore one of these forms of communication called extracellular vesicles (EVs). These vesicles are released by all cells in the body and are heterogeneous in nature. The primary function of EVs is to share information through their cargo consisting of proteins, lipids and nucleic acids (mRNA, miRNA, dsDNA etc.) with other cells, which have a direct consequence on their microenvironment. We will focus on the role of EVs of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the nervous system and how these participate in intercellular communication to maintain physiological function and provide neuroprotection. However, deregulation of this same communication system could play a role in several neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, prion disease and Huntington’s disease. The release of EVs from a cell provides crucial information to what is happening inside the cell and thus could be used in diagnostics and therapy. We will discuss and explore new avenues for the clinical applications of using engineered MSC-EVs and their potential therapeutic benefit in treating neurodegenerative diseases.

scholarly journals Normoxic Tumour Extracellular Vesicles Modulate the Response of Hypoxic Cancer and Stromal Cells to Doxorubicin In Vitro

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (17) ◽  
pp. 5951
Author(s):  
Laura Patras ◽  
Marcel H. A. M. Fens ◽  
Pieter Vader ◽  
Arjan Barendrecht ◽  
Alina Sesarman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drug Resistance ◽  
Extracellular Vesicles ◽  
Hypoxia Inducible Factor ◽  
B Cell Lymphoma ◽  
Tumour Microenvironment ◽  
Hypoxia Inducible Factor 1 ◽  
Apoptotic Protein ◽  
Donor Cells

Extracellular vesicles (EV) secreted in the tumour microenvironment (TME) are emerging as major antagonists of anticancer therapies by orchestrating the therapeutic outcome through altering the behaviour of recipient cells. Recent evidence suggested that chemotherapeutic drugs could be responsible for the EV-mediated tumour–stroma crosstalk associated with cancer cell drug resistance. Here, we investigated the capacity of tumour EV (TEV) secreted by normoxic and hypoxic (1% oxygen) C26 cancer cells after doxorubicin (DOX) treatment to alter the response of naïve C26 cells and RAW 264.7 macrophages to DOX. We observed that C26 cells were less responsive to DOX treatment under normoxia compared to hypoxia, and a minimally cytotoxic DOX concentration that mounted distinct effects on cell viability was selected for TEV harvesting. Homotypic and heterotypic pretreatment of naïve hypoxic cancer and macrophage-like cells with normoxic DOX-elicited TEV rendered these cells slightly less responsive to DOX treatment. The observed effects were associated with strong hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α) induction and B-cell lymphoma–extra-large anti-apoptotic protein (Bcl-xL)-mediated anti-apoptotic response in normoxic DOX-treated TEV donor cells, being also tightly connected to the DOX-TEV-mediated HIF-1α induction, as well as Bcl-xL levels increasing in recipient cells. Altogether, our results could open new perspectives for investigating the role of chemotherapy-elicited TEV in the colorectal cancer TME and their modulatory actions on promoting drug resistance.

scholarly journals Metabolic cooperation between cancer and non-cancerous stromal cells is pivotal in cancer progression

Tumor Biology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 101042831875620 ◽  
Author(s):  
Filipa Lopes-Coelho ◽  
Sofia Gouveia-Fernandes ◽  
Jacinta Serpa
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Stromal Cells ◽  
Inflammatory Cells ◽  
Metabolic Adaptation ◽  
Metabolic Cooperation ◽  
Metabolic Remodeling ◽  
Organ Tissue ◽  
Cancerous Cells

The way cancer cells adapt to microenvironment is crucial for the success of carcinogenesis, and metabolic fitness is essential for a cancer cell to survive and proliferate in a certain organ/tissue. The metabolic remodeling in a tumor niche is endured not only by cancer cells but also by non-cancerous cells that share the same microenvironment. For this reason, tumor cells and stromal cells constitute a complex network of signal and organic compound transfer that supports cellular viability and proliferation. The intensive dual-address cooperation of all components of a tumor sustains disease progression and metastasis. Herein, we will detail the role of cancer-associated fibroblasts, cancer-associated adipocytes, and inflammatory cells, mainly monocytes/macrophages (tumor-associated macrophages), in the remodeling and metabolic adaptation of tumors.

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