Exosomal miRNAs: Biological Properties and Therapeutic Potential

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding regulatory RNAs that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level, are master regulators of a wide array of cellular processes. Altered miRNA expression could be a determinant of disease development and/or progression and manipulation of miRNA expression represents a potential avenue of therapy. Exosomes are cell-derived extracellular vesicles that promote cell–cell communication and immunoregulatory functions. These “bioactive vesicles” shuttle various molecules, including miRNAs, to recipient cells. Inappropriate release of miRNAs from exosomes may cause significant alterations in biological pathways that affect disease development, supporting the concept that miRNA-containing exosomes could serve as targeted therapies for particular diseases. This review briefly summarizes recent advances in the biology, function, and therapeutic potential of exosomal miRNAs.

Role of Exosomes in Myocardial Remodeling

“…123 It is still not known which exosomal factors are most important for the effects described above, but this body of results so far supports the interpretation that certain growth factors and cytokines, such as basic fibroblast growth factor, tumor necrosis factor-α, TGF-β, epidermal growth factor, heat shock proteins (HSP20, 60, and 70), and miRs known to be carried by exosomes, are, at least in part, responsible for the response. 110,124,[125][126][127][128] Ischemic preconditioning was first described by Murry et al 129 in 1986. Several factors have been shown to function in this phenomenon, including adenosine, ATP-dependent K + channels, mitochondrial transition pores, and some other factors.…”

Exosomes: the ideal nanovectors for biodelivery

“…Since the first report demonstrating the presence of mRNA and microRNA in exosome preparations (Valadi et al , 2007 ), thousands of different mRNAs may be identified in exosomes derived from murine and human cells. Interestingly, some hundreds of gene transcripts were exclusively detectable in MVs/ exosomes and not in the cellular source of exosomes (Hu et al , 2012 ;L ä sser, 2012 ;Ramachandran and Palanisamy , 2012 ). This suggests that specific selection mechanism/s operate during the intracellular sorting of RNAs into exosomes (Valadi et al , 2007 ;Taylor and Gercel -Taylor, 2008 ;Rabinowits et al , 2009 ;Mittelbrunn et al , 2011 ).…”

Biomarkers for Screening, Diagnosis, and Monitoring of Ovarian Cancer

“…In addition to miRNAs, exosomes can contain proteins and mRNAs, and thus exosomes have been shown to constitute a mode of intercellular communication selectively transmitting several types of information between cells. These "bioactive shuttle vesicles" are known to transfer these various molecules, including the miRNAs, to recipient cells, and to promote cell-cell communication and immunoregulatory functions (58,59).…”