Exosomal miRNAs and breast cancer: a complex theranostics interlink with clinical significance

Biomarkers. 2023 Sep;28(6):502-518. doi: 10.1080/1354750X.2023.2229537. Epub 2023 Jun 29.

Abstract

Breast cancer (BC) remains the most challenging global health crisis of the current decade, impacting a large population of females annually. In the field of cancer research, the discovery of extracellular vesicles (EVs), specifically exosomes (a subpopulation of EVs), has marked a significant milestone. In general, exosomes are released from all active cells but tumour cell-derived exosomes (TDXs) have a great impact (TDXs miRNAs, proteins, lipid molecules) on cancer development and progression. TDXs regulate multiple events in breast cancer such as tumour microenvironment remodelling, immune cell suppression, angiogenesis, metastasis (EMT-epithelial mesenchymal transition, organ-specific metastasis), and therapeutic resistance. In BC, early detection is the most challenging event, exosome-based BC screening solved the problem. Exosome-based BC treatment is a sign of the transforming era of liquid biopsy, it is also a promising therapeutic tool for breast cancer. Exosome research goes to closer precision oncology via a single exosome profiling approach. Our hope is that this review will serve as motivation for researchers to explore the field of exosomes and develop an efficient, and affordable theranostics approach for breast cancer.

Keywords: Breast cancer; biomarker; exosome; metastasis; therapeutic.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Breast Neoplasms* / diagnosis
  • Breast Neoplasms* / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms* / therapy
  • Clinical Relevance
  • Exosomes* / genetics
  • Exosomes* / pathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • MicroRNAs* / genetics
  • MicroRNAs* / metabolism
  • Precision Medicine
  • Tumor Microenvironment / genetics

Substances

  • MicroRNAs