Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most prevalent type of kidney cancer originating from renal tubular epithelial cells, with clear cell RCC comprising approximately 80% of cases. The primary treatment modalities for RCC are surgery and targeted therapy, albeit with suboptimal efficacies. Despite progress in RCC research, significant challenges persist, including advanced distant metastasis, delayed diagnosis, and drug resistance. Growing evidence suggests that extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a pivotal role in multiple aspects of RCC, including tumorigenesis, metastasis, immune evasion, and drug response. These membrane-bound vesicles are released into the extracellular environment by nearly all cell types and are capable of transferring various bioactive molecules, including RNA, DNA, proteins, and lipids, aiding intercellular communication. The molecular cargo carried by EVs renders them an attractive resource for biomarker identification, while their multifarious role in the RCC offers opportunities for diagnosis and targeted interventions, including EV-based therapies. As the most versatile type of EVs, exosomes have attracted much attention as nanocarriers of biologicals, with multi-range signaling effects. Despite the growing interest in exosomes, there is currently no widely accepted consensus on their subtypes and properties. The emerging heterogeneity of exosomes presents both methodological challenges and exciting opportunities for diagnostic and clinical interventions. This article reviews the characteristics and functions of exosomes, with a particular reference to the recent advances in their application to the diagnosis and treatment of RCC.
International journal of molecular sciences. 2023 Sep 20*** epublish ***
Stergios Boussios, Perry Devo, Iain C A Goodall, Konstantinos Sirlantzis, Aruni Ghose, Sayali D Shinde, Vasileios Papadopoulos, Elisabet Sanchez, Elie Rassy, Saak V Ovsepian
Department of Medical Oncology, Medway NHS Foundation Trust, Gillingham ME7 5NY, UK., School of Sciences, Faculty of Engineering and Science, University of Greenwich, Chatham Maritime ME4 4TB, UK., School of Engineering, Technology and Design, Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury CT1 1QU, UK., Centre for Tumour Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Cancer Research UK Barts Centre, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK., Department of Urology, Medway NHS Foundation Trust, Gillingham ME7 5NY, UK., Department of Medical Oncology, Gustave Roussy Institut, 94805 Villejuif, France.