Title:ExomiRs: A Novel Strategy in Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy
VOLUME: 18 ISSUE: 6
Author(s):Gilar Gorji-Bahri, Atieh Hashemi* and Hamid Reza Moghimi
Affiliation:Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Department of Pharmaceutics and Nanotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran
Keywords:Biomarker, cancer therapy, exomiRs, exosome, gene therapy, miRNA.
Abstract:Exosomes play a critical role in intercellular communication between cancer cells and their
environments. These secreted nanovesicles can transfer different cargos such as mRNAs, proteins and
microRNA (miRNA) to recipient cells. Exosomal miRNAs (exomiRs) derived from tumor cells have
emerged as key players in cancer promotion via impairment of the immune system response, tumor
growth, metastasis, angiogenesis, and chemotherapeutic drug resistance. Moreover, since
dysregulation of miRNA expression in tumor cells can be reflected by distinct profiles of exomiRs
extracted from the bodily fluids of cancer patients, they can be considered as non-invasive diagnostic,
prognostic and predictive biomarkers. Additionally, due to the critical roles of exomiRs in cancer
promotion, targeting of various aspects of exosome biogenesis, miRNA sorting or loading has been
suggested as a novel approach for cancer therapy. Firstly, this review aims to describe the
biosynthesis and trafficking of exosomes as well as their isolation, characterization and content. Next,
the recent advances on the role of exomiRs in cancer promotion as well as the application of exomiR
as a cancer biomarker and therapeutic target are reviewed.
