The Role and Clinical Significance of Novel Pathways in Extracellular Vesicle Biogenesis in Cancer Progression

GAO Ying¹, WEI Denghui¹, ZHONG Li², LIAO Dan¹, ZHENG Xueping¹, LIN Yujie¹, FANG Dongmei¹, KANG Tiebang¹*

（¹1State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China; ²Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, the Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China)

Abstract:

Intercellular crosstalk among tumor cells, mesenchymal cells and immune cells is crucial for cancer progression. EVs (extracellular vesicles), a heterogeneous secretory messenger that carries bioactive molecules, have been proved to be essential for such a cell-to-cell communication and have been used for tumor the therapeutic target, biomarker or therapeutic tool. Therefore, deciphering the mechanisms of EVs biogenesis and how they are regulated in cancers are the current forefront of oncology science. This review summarize the contributions from KANG Tiebang’s lab for roles of EVs in cell-cell communication during cancer progressions, (1) a new fusion protein in osteosarcoma is secreted into exosomes by ESCRT to reshape tumor microenvironment and promote lung metastasis of osteosarcoma; (2) EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) is secreted by ESCRT-independent exosomes and microvesicles to transmit its targeted drug resistance among cancer cells; (3) activated STING (stimulator of interferon genes) is secreted by R-EV, a new type of EVs, to execute anti-tumor immunity.

CSTR: 32200.14.cjcb.2025.03.0008