Analysis of exosome-derived microRNAs reveals insights of intercellular communication during invasion of breast, prostate and glioblastoma cancer cells

MiRNAs represent a mechanism that regulates gene expression in many pathological conditions. Exosomes are known to be secreted from all types of cells, and the exosomes-released molecules are crucial messengers that can regulate cellular processes. We investigated the miRNAs content of exosomes released by cancer cells during the invasion . An invasion stimulus has been generated through scratches created on the confluent cells of cancer cell lines: glioblastoma, breast and prostate cancers. Several miRNAs were found to be significantly differentially abundant during the cell invasion , both in common among different cell lines and exclusive. Understanding the language codes among cells involved in invasion can lead to the development of therapies that can inhibit cellular communication, slowing or eventually stopping their activity.

微小RNA（microRNAs，miRNAs）是一类在多种病理条件下调控基因表达的分子机制。外泌体（exosomes）是公认的由各类细胞分泌的囊泡结构，其携带的分泌型分子是调控细胞生命活动的关键信使。本研究针对癌细胞侵袭过程中分泌的外泌体，对其所含的微小RNA进行了分析：通过在胶质母细胞瘤、乳腺癌及前列腺癌这三类癌细胞系的融合单层细胞上制造划痕，构建了细胞侵袭刺激模型。研究发现，在细胞侵袭过程中，多种微小RNA的表达量存在显著差异，这类差异既涵盖不同细胞系共有的微小RNA，也包含细胞系特异性的独有微小RNA。解析参与侵袭过程的细胞间通信"语言编码"，有望开发出抑制细胞通信的治疗手段，从而延缓乃至最终阻断癌细胞的侵袭活性。