Extracellular vesicles: the “Trojan Horse” within breast cancer host microenvironments
Abstract Breast cancer represents a significant global health concern among women. The intricate processes and pathways underlying metastasis contribute to the challenging prognoses experienced by some patients. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-bound structures characterized by phospholipid...
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BMC
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Molecular Cancer |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12943-025-02358-y |
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| author | Yue Kang Ling’ao Meng Shi Bai Shenglong Li |
| author_facet | Yue Kang Ling’ao Meng Shi Bai Shenglong Li |
| author_sort | Yue Kang |
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| description | Abstract Breast cancer represents a significant global health concern among women. The intricate processes and pathways underlying metastasis contribute to the challenging prognoses experienced by some patients. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-bound structures characterized by phospholipid bilayers, capable of secretion by a multitude of cell types. The contents of these vesicles encompass a diverse assortment of lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, and cellular metabolites. The tumor microenvironment (TME) comprises a complex network involving tumor cells, non-cancerous cells, and an array of molecules they generate and release. Components include the extracellular matrix, cancer-associated fibroblasts, inflammatory immune cells, tumor-associated vasculature, and EVs discharged by these cellular entities. Within the TME, EVs serve as a mechanism akin to the “Trojan Horse,” exerting significant influence in tumor initiation, progression, metastasis, and responses to therapeutic interventions. EVs originating from tumor cells and associated entities within the TME bolster processes such as stimulating angiogenesis adjacent to tumor sites, establishing pre-metastatic niches in distant anatomical regions, and inducing transformative changes in cancer cells to acquire characteristics promoting invasion, angiogenesis, immune evasion, distant metastasis, and resistance to chemotherapy. Noteworthy is the unique capacity of EVs to traverse biological barriers due to their inherent biocompatibility, rendering them promising candidates for innovative drug delivery systems. This attribute presents an avenue to surmount the constraints of traditional cancer treatments. This scholarly inquiry delves into the pathogenic mechanisms of EVs in breast cancer and delves into prospective therapeutic interventions, offering a groundwork for forthcoming precision-guided therapies tailored to breast cancer. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4e1c2049d7434f8c9b4dea9f85d620ce |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 1476-4598 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
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| series | Molecular Cancer |
| spelling | doaj-art-4e1c2049d7434f8c9b4dea9f85d620ce2025-06-29T11:06:37ZengBMCMolecular Cancer1476-45982025-06-0124112310.1186/s12943-025-02358-yExtracellular vesicles: the “Trojan Horse” within breast cancer host microenvironmentsYue Kang0Ling’ao Meng1Shi Bai2Shenglong Li3Department of Breast Surgery, Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & InstituteDepartment of Breast Surgery, Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & InstituteSchool of Science and Engineering, Shenyang University of TechnologySecond Ward of Bone and Soft Tissue Tumor Surgery, Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & InstituteAbstract Breast cancer represents a significant global health concern among women. The intricate processes and pathways underlying metastasis contribute to the challenging prognoses experienced by some patients. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-bound structures characterized by phospholipid bilayers, capable of secretion by a multitude of cell types. The contents of these vesicles encompass a diverse assortment of lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, and cellular metabolites. The tumor microenvironment (TME) comprises a complex network involving tumor cells, non-cancerous cells, and an array of molecules they generate and release. Components include the extracellular matrix, cancer-associated fibroblasts, inflammatory immune cells, tumor-associated vasculature, and EVs discharged by these cellular entities. Within the TME, EVs serve as a mechanism akin to the “Trojan Horse,” exerting significant influence in tumor initiation, progression, metastasis, and responses to therapeutic interventions. EVs originating from tumor cells and associated entities within the TME bolster processes such as stimulating angiogenesis adjacent to tumor sites, establishing pre-metastatic niches in distant anatomical regions, and inducing transformative changes in cancer cells to acquire characteristics promoting invasion, angiogenesis, immune evasion, distant metastasis, and resistance to chemotherapy. Noteworthy is the unique capacity of EVs to traverse biological barriers due to their inherent biocompatibility, rendering them promising candidates for innovative drug delivery systems. This attribute presents an avenue to surmount the constraints of traditional cancer treatments. This scholarly inquiry delves into the pathogenic mechanisms of EVs in breast cancer and delves into prospective therapeutic interventions, offering a groundwork for forthcoming precision-guided therapies tailored to breast cancer.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12943-025-02358-yBreast cancerExtracellular vesiclesMetastasisPre-metastatic nicheTumor microenvironmentDrug resistance |
| spellingShingle | Yue Kang Ling’ao Meng Shi Bai Shenglong Li Extracellular vesicles: the “Trojan Horse” within breast cancer host microenvironments Molecular Cancer Breast cancer Extracellular vesicles Metastasis Pre-metastatic niche Tumor microenvironment Drug resistance |
| title | Extracellular vesicles: the “Trojan Horse” within breast cancer host microenvironments |
| title_full | Extracellular vesicles: the “Trojan Horse” within breast cancer host microenvironments |
| title_fullStr | Extracellular vesicles: the “Trojan Horse” within breast cancer host microenvironments |
| title_full_unstemmed | Extracellular vesicles: the “Trojan Horse” within breast cancer host microenvironments |
| title_short | Extracellular vesicles: the “Trojan Horse” within breast cancer host microenvironments |
| title_sort | extracellular vesicles the trojan horse within breast cancer host microenvironments |
| topic | Breast cancer Extracellular vesicles Metastasis Pre-metastatic niche Tumor microenvironment Drug resistance |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12943-025-02358-y |
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