Exosomes in cancer: Small transporters with big functions

Exosomes are nanosized membrane-bound vesicles containing abundant proteins, DNA, mRNA, and non-coding RNAs. Exosomes are now considered as an additional mechanism for intercellular communication, allowing cells to exchange proteins, lipids and genetic material. Increasing studies have shown that exosomes play an important role in tumour initiation, growth, progression, metastasis, drug resistance and immune escape. In this article, we review recent advances in the biology of exosomes. We elaborate the specific mechanism by which exosomes affect the communication between tumours and the microenvironment.
Source: Cancer Letters - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Tags: Mini-review Source Type: research