Exosomes: an overview of biogenesis, composition and role in ovarian cancer.
Exosomes are tiny membrane-bound vesicles that are over produced by most proliferating cell types during normal and pathological states. Their levels are up-regulated during pregnancy and disease states such as cancer. Exosomes contain a wide variety of proteins, lipids, RNAs, non-transcribed RNAs, microRNAs and small RNAs that are representative to their cellular origin and shuttle from a donor cell to a recipient cell. From intercellular communication to tumor proliferation, exosomes carry out a diverse range of functions, both helpful and harmful. Useful as biomarkers, exosomes may be applicable in diagnostic assessments as well as cell-free anti-tumor vaccines. Exosomes of ovarian cancer contain different set of proteins and miRNAs compared to exosomes of normal, cancer-free individuals. These molecules may be used as multiple "barcode" for the development of a diagnostic tool for early detection of ovarian cancer.
Allison
A
Beach
Huang-Ge
HG
Zhang
Mariusz Z
MZ
Ratajczak
Department of Medicine, James Graham Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA. sskaka01@louisville.edu.
Sham S
SS
Kakar
D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D055354:Exosomes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015398:Signal Transduction; D019139:Tumor Escape
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D035683:MicroRNAs; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins