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Review
. 2023 Feb 2;15(3):959.
doi: 10.3390/cancers15030959.

Exosomal LncRNAs in Gastrointestinal Cancer: Biological Functions and Emerging Clinical Applications

Yuntong Sun  1 , Fengtian Sun  1 , Jianhua Jin  2 , Wenrong Xu  1 , Hui Qian  1
Affiliations
Review

Exosomal LncRNAs in Gastrointestinal Cancer: Biological Functions and Emerging Clinical Applications

Yuntong Sun et al. Cancers (Basel). .

Abstract

Due to the lack of specific and effective biomarkers and therapeutic targets, the early diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal cancer remain unsatisfactory. As a type of nanosized vesicles derived from living cells, exosomes mediate cell-to-cell communication by transporting bioactive molecules, thus participating in the regulation of many pathophysiological processes. Recent evidence has revealed that several long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are enriched in exosomes. Exosomes-mediated lncRNAs delivery is critically involved in various aspects of gastrointestinal cancer progression, such as tumor proliferation, metastasis, angiogenesis, stemness, immune microenvironment, and drug resistance. Exosomal lncRNAs represent promising candidates to act as the diagnosis biomarkers and anti-tumor targets. This review introduces the major characteristics of exosomes and lncRNAs and describes the biological functions of exosomal lncRNAs in gastrointestinal cancer development. The preclinical studies on using exosomal lncRNAs to monitor and treat gastrointestinal cancer are also discussed, and the opportunities and challenges for translating them into clinical practice are evaluated.

Keywords: biomarker; exosomes; gastrointestinal cancer; lncRNAs; therapeutic target.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The biogenesis, contents, and uptake of exosomes. Exosomes are derived from the fusion of MVBs with plasma membranes. Exosomes transport cargos including nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids to recipient cells mainly through membrane fusion, receptor-ligand interaction, and endocytosis.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Functional mechanisms of lncRNAs. (A) Under several stimulation conditions, lncRNAs can combine with transcription factors to regulate signaling pathway. (B) LncRNAs prevent mRNA degradation by functioning as miRNA sponge. (C) LncRNAs can act as scaffolds to form protein complexes, thus regulating the transcription of the target genes. (D) LncRNAs modulate gene expression by guiding the ribonucleoprotein complex to the DNA sequence.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The biological role of exosomal lncRNAs in gastrointestinal cancer. Exosomal lncRNAs are involved in the various processes of gastrointestinal cancer including tumor growth, metastasis, angiogenesis, stemness, immune microenvironment, and drug resistance.
Figure 4
Figure 4
LncRNAs in EVs as new biomarkers for the liquid biopsy of gastrointestinal cancer. Several technologies have been established to isolate EVs from body fluids and detect their cargoes. Many lncRNAs in serum/plasma-derived EVs provide a new strategy for the diagnosis of gastrointestinal cancer. Note: ↑: Upregulation; ↓: Downregulation.
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