MicroRNA and extracellular vesicles in glioblastoma: small but powerful

Abstract

To promote the tumor growth, angiogenesis, metabolism, and invasion, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cells subvert the surrounding microenvironment by influencing the endogenous activity of other brain cells including endothelial cells, macrophages, astrocytes, and microglia. Large number of studies indicates that the intracellular communication between the different cell types of the GBM microenvironment occurs through the functional transfer of oncogenic components such as proteins, non-coding RNAs, DNA and lipids via the release and uptake of extracellular vesicles (EVs). Unlike the communication through the secretion of chemokines and cytokines, the transfer and gene silencing activity of microRNAs through EVs is more complex as the biogenesis and proper packaging of microRNAs is crucial for their uptake by recipient cells. Although the specific mechanism of EV-derived microRNA uptake and processing in recipient cells is largely unknown, the screening, identifying and finally targeting of the EV-associated pro-tumorigenic microRNAs are emerging as new therapeutic strategy to combat the GBM.

MicroRNA-Mediated Dynamic Bidirectional Shift between the Subclasses of Glioblastoma Stem-like Cells

“…Single cell RNA-sequencing exposed the intra-tumoral heterogeneity with diverse subpopulations of differentiated tumors cells and GSCs belonging to different subclasses and transitional, hybrid cellular stages (Patel et al, 2014). The expression of multiple microRNAs is frequently altered in human malignancies including GBM (Hayes et al, 2016; Rooj et al, 2016; Svoronos et al, 2016), and thus the discovery of functional consequences of aberrant microRNA expression is crucial for the development of microRNA-based therapeutics and for fuller understanding of molecular rearrangements underlying tumorigenesis and tumor progression.…”

microRNA‐96 protects pancreatic β‐cell function by targeting PAK1 in gestational diabetes mellitus

“…miRNAs represent a significant population of the human transcriptome, which play an important regulatory role within the cell . Recent studies showed that many miRNAs exhibit cell‐specific expression, and deregulation of miRNA occurs in different diseases, highlighting their critical role in therapeutic applications . Although many efforts have been made to understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms of GDM development, the role and significance of miRNAs in β‐cells remains not completely understood.…”

Extracellular Vesicles Involvement in the Modulation of the Glioblastoma Environment

“…e microRNAs are a class of small noncoding RNAs of approximately 22 nucleotides in length that are implicated in posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression, silencing the expression of target genes [83,84]. Numerous studies proposed that aberrant microRNA expression is associated with several pathogenic mechanisms in GBM, representing a prognostic tool in the clinical outcome of GBM patients [85].…”