Roles of exosomes in metastatic colorectal cancer

Abstract

Metastases remain a major cause of cancer morbidity and mortality. This is a multistep process that involves aberrant cell communication, leading to tumor cell dissemination from the primary tumor and colonization of distinct organs for secondary tumor formation. The mechanisms promoting this pathological process are not fully understood, although they may be of obvious therapeutic interest. Exosomes are small cell-secreted vesicles that contain a large variety of proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids with important signaling activities, and that represent an evolutionarily conserved mechanism for cell-to-cell communication. Not surprisingly, exosome activities have gained strong interest in cancer biology and might play essential roles in metastasis development. Here, we will describe recent findings on the role of exosomes in cancer metastasis formation, particularly in colorectal cancer (CRC). We will also discuss the potential therapeutic value of these vesicles in metastatic cancer.