Title:Pharmacological Inhibition of Exosome Machinery: An Emerging
Prospect in Cancer Therapeutics
Volume: 22
Issue: 7
Author(s): Saima Syeda, Kavita Rawat and Anju Shrivastava*
Affiliation:
- Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007, India
Keywords:
Tumor-derived exosomes, regulatory proteins, exosome blockers, cancer therapeutics, nanocarriers, drug resistivity.
Abstract: Exosomes are nanocarriers that mediate intercellular communication crucial for normal
physiological functions. However, exponentially emerging reports have correlated their dysregulated
release with various pathologies, including cancer. In cancer, from stromal remodeling to metastasis,
where tumor cells bypass the immune surveillance and show drug resistivity, it has been established
to be mediated via tumor-derived exosomes. Owing to their role in cancer pathogenicity, exosomebased
strategies offer enormous potential in treatment regimens. These strategies include the use of
exosomes as a drug carrier or as an immunotherapeutic agent, which requires advanced nanotechnologies
for exosome isolation and characterization. In contrast, pharmacological inhibition of exosome
machinery surpasses the requisites of nanotechnology and thus emerges as an essential prospect in
cancer therapeutics. In this line, researchers are currently trying to dissect the molecular pathways to
reveal the involvement of key regulatory proteins that facilitate the release of tumor-derived exosomes.
Subsequently, screening of various molecules in targeting these proteins, with eventual
abatement of exosome-induced cancer pathogenicity, is being done. However, their clinical translation
requires more extensive studies. Here, we comprehensively review the molecular mechanisms
regulating exosome release in cancer. Moreover, we provide insight into the key findings that highlight
the effect of various drugs as exosome blockers, which will add to the route of drug development
in cancer management.
