title: Tumor-derived exosomes and microvesicles in head and neck cancer: implications for tumor biology and biomarker discovery.
abstract: Exosomes and microvesicles (MVs) are nanometer-sized, membranous vesicles secreted from many cell types into their surrounding extracellular space and into body fluids. These two classes of extracellular vesicles are regarded as a novel mechanism through which cancer cells, including virally infected cancer cells, regulate their micro-environment via the horizontal transfer of bioactive molecules: proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids (DNA, mRNA, micro-RNAs; oncogenic cargo hence often referred to as oncosomes). In head and neck cancer (HNC), exosomes and MVs have been described in Epstein Barr Virus (EBV)-associated nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC), as well as being positively correlated with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) progression. It has therefore been suggested that HNC-derived vesicles could represent a useful source for biomarker discovery, enriched in tumor antigens and cargo; hence fundamentally important for cancer progression. This current review offers an overall perspective on the roles of exosomes and MVs in HNC biology, focusing on EBV-associated NPC and OSCC. We also highlight the importance of saliva as a proximal and easily accessible bio-fluid for HNC detection, and propose that salivary vesicles might serve as an alternative model in the discovery of novel HNC biomarkers.
authors.affiliation: Ontario Cancer Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Principe
authors.forename: Angela Bik-Yu
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bruce
authors.forename: Ankit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sinha
authors.forename: Fei-Fei
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kislinger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D055252:Cell-Derived Microparticles / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology; D055354:Exosomes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism; D020543:Proteome / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000378:metabolism; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D035683:MicroRNAs; D020543:Proteome; D012367:RNA, Viral