Exosomes That Have Different Cellular Origins Followed by the Impact They Have on Prostate Tumor Development in the Tumor Microenvironment - review

Sep 21, 2026

Prostate cancer is the most common urinary malignancy and continues to rise globally, with tumor and surrounding microenvironment cells exchanging signals that drive progression and spread. Exosomes are nanoscale vesicles released by diverse cell types, carrying nucleic acids and proteins that enable intercellular communication. Different origin-derived exosomes can modulate tumor-cell proliferation and growth through multiple signaling routes and secreted cytokines. This review summarizes how these tumor-microenvironment exosomes influence progression and discusses their potential roles in prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time30 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Exosomes Biogenesis

Cancer Reports REVIEW OPEN ACCESS Exosomes That Have Different Cellular Origins Followed by the Impact They Have on Prostate Tumor Development in the Tumor Microenvironment Cong Huang1,2,3 | Jialong Zhang1,2,3 | Hongzhi Wang1,2,3 | Chaozhao Liang1,2,3 1Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China | 2Institute of Urology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China | 3Key Laboratory of Genitourinary Diseases Anhui Province, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China Correspondence: Hongzhi Wang ([wanghongzhi0830@163.com](wanghongzhi0830@163.com)) | Chaozhao Liang ([liang_chaozhao@ahmu.edu.cn](liang_chaozhao@ahmu.edu.cn)) Received: 29 February 2024 | Revised: 15 July 2024 | Accepted: 11 August 2024 Keywords: biomarkers | exosomes | intercellular communication | prostate cancer | prostate cancer cells | tumor microenvironment ABSTRACT Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common urinary tumor with the highest incidence rate and the second among the leading causes of death worldwide for adult males. In the worldwide cancer incidence rate, PCa is on the increase. The cancerous cells in the prostate and cells in the microenvironment surrounding the tumor communicate through signal transduction, which is crucial for the development and spread of PCa. Recent findings: Exosomes are nanoscale vesicles released into body fluids by various cells that can aid intercellular communication by releasing nucleic acids and proteins. Exosomes published by different types of cells in the tumor microenvironment can have varying impacts on the proliferation and growth of tumor cells via various signaling pathways, modes of action, and secreted cytokines. Conclusion: The main purpose of this review is to describe the effects of different cell-derived exosomes in the tumor microenvironment of PCa on the progression of tumor cells, as well as to summarize and discuss the prospects for the application of exosomes in the treatment and diagnosis of PCa. 1 | Introduction The prevalence rate of prostate cancer (PCa) is on the rise, making it the most common form of male-specific malignancy and a major contributor to fatalities due to cancer [1–4] . It is currently second only to lung cancer in terms of tumor prevalence [5] . Debatable is the specificity of PSA detection in clinical practice, yet early diagnosis and screening still maintain blood prostatespecific antigen. As a result, PCa may be overdiagnosed andovertreated [6–9] . Extracellular vesicles, or exosomes, have an average diameter of 100 nm and range in size from 30 to 200 nm [10, 11] . Exosomes are single-membrane organelles that store a variety of components including nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, and glycoconjugates despite their tiny size (Figure 1). It is exactly because of its complex structure that it may function in tumor cells and be recognized by us. It could thus be utilized as a means of expediting the detection and assessment of the newest generation of tumor biomarkers in clinical practice. Exosomes are secreted in all cell types [12] and participate in various physiological and pathological processes [13, 14], this may be closely related to its structure. The function of extracellular and intercellular communication in the incidence and progression of PCa has slowly come to light in recent years. Exosomes also potential for the development of new therapeutic approaches due to their remarkable biophysical features, including high stability, high biocompatibility, and capacity to overcome biological barriers [15] . | Cong Huang and Jialong Zhang contributed equally to this study. | | --- | | This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
© 2024 The Author(s). Cancer Reports published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. | Cancer

FAQs

What is the role of exosomes in prostate cancer intercellular communication?

Exosomes are nanoscale vesicles released by cells that aid intercellular communication by delivering nucleic acids and proteins. In the prostate tumor context, this signaling supports progression and spread.

How can exosomes derived from different cellular origins affect tumor cells?

Exosomes published by different cell types in the tumor microenvironment can vary in their effects on tumor-cell proliferation and growth. These effects occur via signaling pathways and secreted cytokines.

What is the main purpose of this review?

The review aims to describe how exosomes from different cells in the prostate cancer tumor microenvironment affect tumor-cell progression, and to summarize and discuss prospects for using exosomes in diagnosis and treatment.

Sep 21, 2026

Upload by Theodore