The role of exosomal noncoding RNAs in cancer

Yan Xie,
Wei Dang,
Siwei Zhang,
Wenxing Yue,
Li Yang,
Xingyu Zhai,
Qijia Yan and
Jianhong LuEmail author

Molecular Cancer201918:37

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12943-019-0984-4

Received: 8 October 2018
Accepted: 25 February 2019
Published: 9 March 2019

Abstract

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) membranes enclose nanosized vesicles with a size range of 30–150 nm and are plentiful in our body in both physiological and pathological conditions. Exosomes, a type of EV, are important mediators of intracellular communication among tumor cells, immune cells, and stromal cells. They can shuttle bioactive molecules, such as proteins, lipids, RNA, and DNA; however, the precise function of EVs remains largely unknown. In recent years, tumor-associated cargo in exosomes has been a hot topic in research, especially with respect to noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs). Herein, we review the role of exosomal ncRNAs, including miRNAs and long noncoding RNAs, in tumor biological processes. Clinically, exosomal ncRNAs may eventually become novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets in cancer progression.