Exosomal microRNAs mediating crosstalk between cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts in the tumor microenvironment

Yongfang Wang; Hanyun Liang; Jie Zheng

doi:10.1016/j.prp.2022.154159

Exosomal microRNAs mediating crosstalk between cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts in the tumor microenvironment

Pathol Res Pract. 2022 Nov:239:154159. doi: 10.1016/j.prp.2022.154159. Epub 2022 Oct 10.

Authors

Yongfang Wang¹, Hanyun Liang¹, Jie Zheng²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Weifang Medical University, Shandong, China.
² Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Weifang Medical University, Shandong, China; Key Lab of Neurological Disease and Regeneration＆Repair, Weifang Medical University, Shandong, China. Electronic address: zhengj@wfmc.edu.cn.

PMID: 36244248
DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2022.154159

Abstract

Purpose: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play an important role in tumor formation and development by serving as the most influential stromal cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME). The communication between tumor cells and CAFs, along with the resulting impact, is more important than originally anticipated. Numerous studies have demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNAs) play an essential role in this crosstalk, and related evidence continues to emerge and advance. In addition, exosomes containing miRNAs have been found as a crucial mode of interaction between these two types of cells, with a more direct and precise role. Under the influence of exosomal miRNAs, normal fibroblasts are converted into CAFs. By doing so, CAFs can greatly promote tumor progression. Additionally, through exosomal miRNAs, activated CAFs may alter the genetic expression in tumor cells, affecting the TME and promoting malignant biological processes. Learning more about exosomal miRNAs in tumor cells and CAFs, and the intricate molecular networks that link CAFs to cancer cells, may help researchers develop more sensitive and effective cancer treatments targeting miRNAs, exosomes and CAFs, thereby giving hope to cancer patients.

Methods: A comprehensive search of the literature was conducted through PubMed databases. The keywords entered for the search included: exosomes, cancer-associated fibroblasts, microRNA and cancer. This search provided information about articles published in peer-reviewed journals until 2022. Information from these articles was collected and analyzed in this review.

Results: Exosomal miRNAs can act as tumor inhibitors or tumor inducers by affecting several targets and molecular signaling pathways. MiRNAs and exosomes involved in crosstalk could have promising applications in cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy.

Conclusion: This finding about the crosstalk can help find and develop innovative miRNA-based approaches towards diagnosis, prognosis, and anti-cancer treatments.

Keywords: Cancer-associated fibroblasts; Exosomes; MicroRNA·Cancer.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts* / pathology
Exosomes* / genetics
Exosomes* / metabolism
Humans
MicroRNAs* / genetics
MicroRNAs* / metabolism
Neoplasms* / pathology
Signal Transduction
Tumor Microenvironment

Substances

MicroRNAs