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（miRNAs）是一类在多种病理条件下调控基因表达的调控机制。外泌体（exosomes）可由各类细胞分泌，其释放的分子是调控细胞生命活动的关键信使。本研究聚焦癌细胞侵袭过程中释放的外泌体所含的微小RNA成分，通过对融合生长的癌细胞系（包括胶质母细胞瘤、乳腺癌及前列腺癌细胞系）细胞施加划痕处理，构建了侵袭刺激模型。研究发现，在细胞侵袭过程中，多种微小RNA的表达丰度存在显著差异，这些差异既涵盖不同癌细胞系共有的miRNA，也包含各细胞系特有的miRNA。阐明参与侵袭过程的细胞间信号编码机制，有望开发出抑制细胞间通讯的治疗手段，从而减缓甚至最终阻断癌细胞的侵袭活性。