State-of-the-Art: Exosomes in Colorectal Cancer

Yan Dang; Shutian Zhang; Yongjun Wang; Guiping Zhao; Chuyan Chen; Wei Jiang

doi:10.2174/1568009621666211110094442

State-of-the-Art: Exosomes in Colorectal Cancer

Curr Cancer Drug Targets. 2022;22(1):2-17. doi: 10.2174/1568009621666211110094442.

Authors

Yan Dang^{1

2

3}, Shutian Zhang^{1

2

3}, Yongjun Wang^{1

2

3}, Guiping Zhao^{1

2

3}, Chuyan Chen^{1

2

3}, Wei Jiang^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
² Beijing Key Laboratory for Precancerous Lesion of Digestive Diseases, Beijing, China.
³ National Clinical Research Centre for Digestive Diseases, Beijing, China.

PMID: 34758717
DOI: 10.2174/1568009621666211110094442

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) has a high prevalence and mortality rate globally. To date, the progression mechanisms of CRC are still elusive. Exosomes (~100 nm in diameter) correspond to a subset of extracellular vesicles formed by an array of cancerous cells and stromal cells. These particular nanovesicles carry and transmit bioactive molecules, like proteins, lipids, and genetic materials, which mediate the crosstalk between cancer cells and the microenvironment. Accumulating evidence has shown the decisive functions of exosomes in the development, metastasis, and therapy resistance of CRC. Furthermore, some recent studies have also revealed the abilities of exosomes to function as either biomarkers or therapeutic targets for CRC. This review focuses on the specific mechanisms of exosomes in regulating CRC progression and summarizes the potential clinical applications of exosomes in the diagnosis and therapy of CRC.

Keywords: Colorectal cancer; biomarkers; exosomes; metastasis; therapy resistance; tumorigenesis.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Biomarkers / metabolism
Colorectal Neoplasms* / drug therapy
Exosomes* / metabolism
Extracellular Vesicles* / metabolism
Humans
Tumor Microenvironment

Substances

Biomarkers