Role of exosomes in prostate cancer bone metastasis

Abstract

Bone is a preferred metastatic site of prostate cancer (PCa), and most patients with PCa metastases develop osteogenic bone metastasis, which manifests as disturbed bone structure and poor bone quality. However, the underlying mechanisms of PCa bone metastasis remain unclear. In recent years, increasing evidence has implicated extracellular vesicles, especially exosomes, in PCa bone metastasis. Exosomes are 30-150 nm in diameter, enclosing a cargo of biomolecules, such as DNA, RNA, and proteins. Exosomes play a functional role in intercellular communication, modulate the functions of recipient cells, and potentially modulate bone microenvironment changes, thereby influencing the development of PCa bone metastasis. This review summarizes the involvement of exosomes in the imbalance between bone resorption and formation, and establishing a pre-metastatic niche in bone marrow, as well as potential clinical applications of exosomes in therapeutic strategies for treating patients with advanced PCa with bone metastasis.

Keywords: Bone metastasis; Bone microenvironment; Exosomes; Pre-metastatic niche; Prostate cancer.