title: Extracellular vesicles as trans-genomic agents: Emerging roles in disease and evolution.
abstract: The composition of genetic material in extracellular vesicles (EV) has sparked interest particularly in the potential for horizontal gene transfer by EV. Although the RNA content of EV has been studied extensively, few reports have examined the DNA content of EV. It is still unclear how DNA is packaged inside EV, and whether they are functional in recipient cells. In this review, we describe the biological significance of genetic material in EV and their possible impacts in recipient cells, with focus on DNA from cancer cell-derived EV and the potential roles they may play in the cancer microenvironment. Another important feature of the genetic content of EV is the presence of retrotransposon elements. In this review, we discuss the possibility of an EV-mediated mechanism for the dispersal of retrotransposon elements, and their potential involvement in the development of genetically influenced diseases. In addition to this, we discuss the potential involvement of EV in the transfer of genetic material across species, and their possible impacts in modulating genome evolution.
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan.|Ph.D. Program in Human Biology, School of Integrative and Global Majors, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.
authors.forename: Yumi
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8386-4645
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.affiliation: Ph.D. Program in Human Biology, School of Integrative and Global Majors, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.
authors.forename: Taka-Aki
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0776-9918
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ochiya
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics*; D000067128:Extracellular Vesicles / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D016678:Genome / Q000235:genetics*; D023281:Genomics / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004247:DNA
keywords: Cancer microenvironment; evolution; extracellular vesicle; horizontal gene transfer; retrotransposon element