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Mechanobiology

Extracellular vesicles: important collaborators in cancer progression

AUTHORS

Sato SShinya , Weaver AMAlissa M . Essays in biochemistry. 2018 5 15; 62(2). 149-163

ABSTRACT

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane vesicles that are released from cells and mediate cell-cell communication. EVs carry protein, lipid, and nucleic acid cargoes that interact with recipient cells to alter their phenotypes. Evidence is accumulating that tumor-derived EVs can play important roles in all steps of cancer progression. Here, we review recent studies reporting critical roles for EVs in four major areas of cancer progression: promotion of cancer invasiveness and motility, enhancement of angiogenesis and vessel permeability, conditioning premetastatic niches, and immune suppression.