The Biology and Function of Extracellular Vesicles in Cancer Development

Xinyi Zhang; Dianfeng Liu; Yongjian Gao; Chao Lin; Qingwu An; Ye Feng; Yangyang Liu; Da Liu; Haoming Luo; Dongxu Wang

doi:10.3389/fcell.2021.777441

The Biology and Function of Extracellular Vesicles in Cancer Development

Front Cell Dev Biol. 2021 Nov 5:9:777441. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2021.777441. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Xinyi Zhang¹, Dianfeng Liu¹, Yongjian Gao², Chao Lin^{3

4}, Qingwu An¹, Ye Feng², Yangyang Liu³, Da Liu³, Haoming Luo³, Dongxu Wang¹

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory Animal Center, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
² Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreas Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.
³ Department of Pharmacy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, China.
⁴ School of Grain Science and Technology, Jilin Business and Technology College, Changchun, China.

Abstract

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) exert their biological functions by delivering proteins, metabolites, and nucleic acids to recipient cells. EVs play important roles in cancer development. The anti-tumor effect of EVs is by their cargos carrying proteins, metabolites, and nucleic acids to affect cell-to-cell communication. The characteristics of cell-to-cell communication can potentially be applied for the therapy of cancers, such as gastric cancer. In addition, EVs can be used as an effective cargos to deliver ncRNAs, peptides, and drugs, to target tumor tissues. In addition, EVs have the ability to regulate cell apoptosis, autophagy, proliferation, and migration of cancer cells. The ncRNA and peptides that were engaged with EVs were associated with cell signaling pathways in cancer development. This review focuses on the composition, cargo, function, mechanism, and application of EVs in cancers.

Keywords: Cancer; EVS; drug loading; ncRNA; target.

Publication types

Review