Extracellular vesicles in the development of organ‐specific metastasis
Abstract
Distant organ metastasis, often termed as organotropic metastasis or metastatic organotropism, is a fundamental feature of malignant tumours and accounts for most cancer‐related mortalities. This process is orchestrated by many complex biological interactions and processes that are mediated by a combination of anatomical, genetic, pathophysiological and biochemical factors. Recently, extracellular vesicles (EVs) are increasingly being demonstrated as critical mediators of bi‐directional tumour‐host cell interactions, controlling organ‐specific infiltration, adaptation and colonization at the secondary site. EVs govern organotropic metastasis by modulating the pre‐metastatic microenvironment through upregulation of pro‐inflammatory gene expression and immunosuppressive cytokine secretion, induction of phenotype‐specific differentiation and recruitment of specific stromal cell types. This review discusses EV‐mediated metastatic organotropism in visceral (brain, lung, liver, and lymph node) and skeletal (bone) metastasis, and discusses how the pre‐metastatic education by EVs transforms the organ into a hospitable, tumour cell–friendly milieu that supports the growth of metastatic cells. Decoding the organ‐specific traits of EVs and their functions in organotropic metastasis is essential in accelerating the clinical application of EVs in cancer management.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2021
- Source ID
- 10.1002/jev2.12125
Entities
People
- Carolina Soekmadji
- Fumihiko Urabe
- Grant A. Ramm
- Kalyani Patil
- Takahiro Ochiya
Organizations
- Jikei University School of Medicine
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute
- Tokyo Medical University
- United States Department of Defense
- University of Queensland