Recent Advances in the Study of Extracellular Vesicles in Colorectal Cancer
AUTHORS
- PMID: 35724732 [PubMed].
ABSTRACT
There has been significant progress in the study of extracellular vesicles (EVs) since the 2017 American Gastroenterological Association-sponsored Freston conference Extracellular Vesicles: Biology, Translation and Clinical Application in GI Disorders. The burgeoning interest in this field stems from the increasing recognition that EVs represent an understudied form of cell-to-cell communication and contain cargo replete with biomarkers and therapeutic targets. This short review will highlight recent advances in the field with an emphasis on colorectal cancer (CRC). Following a short introduction to secreted particles, we will describe how our lab became interested in EVs, which led to refined methods of isolation and identification of two secreted nanoparticles. We will then summarize the cargo found in small (s)EVs released from CRC cells and other cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME), as well as those found in the circulation of CRC patients. Finally, we will consider the continuing challenges and future opportunities in this rapidly evolving field.