The Multifaceted Role of Extracellular Vesicles in Glioblastoma: microRNA Nanocarriers for Disease Progression and Gene Therapy
Glioblastoma (GB) is the most aggressive form of brain cancer in adults, characterized by poor survival rates and lack of effective therapies. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally through specific pairing with target messenger RNAs (mRNAs...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Pharmaceutics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/13/7/988 |
| _version_ | 1797528274904023040 |
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| author | Natalia Simionescu Radu Zonda Anca Roxana Petrovici Adriana Georgescu |
| author_facet | Natalia Simionescu Radu Zonda Anca Roxana Petrovici Adriana Georgescu |
| author_sort | Natalia Simionescu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Glioblastoma (GB) is the most aggressive form of brain cancer in adults, characterized by poor survival rates and lack of effective therapies. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally through specific pairing with target messenger RNAs (mRNAs). Extracellular vesicles (EVs), a heterogeneous group of cell-derived vesicles, transport miRNAs, mRNAs and intracellular proteins, and have been shown to promote horizontal malignancy into adjacent tissue, as well as resistance to conventional therapies. Furthermore, GB-derived EVs have distinct miRNA contents and are able to penetrate the blood–brain barrier. Numerous studies have attempted to identify EV-associated miRNA biomarkers in serum/plasma and cerebrospinal fluid, but their collective findings fail to identify reliable biomarkers that can be applied in clinical settings. However, EVs carrying specific miRNAs or miRNA inhibitors have great potential as therapeutic nanotools in GB, and several studies have investigated this possibility on in vitro and in vivo models. In this review, we discuss the role of EVs and their miRNA content in GB progression and resistance to therapy, with emphasis on their potential as diagnostic, prognostic and disease monitoring biomarkers and as nanocarriers for gene therapy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:56:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-91e2cffa35ff4291a69acb869dcb26ad |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4923 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:56:53Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pharmaceutics |
| spelling | doaj.art-91e2cffa35ff4291a69acb869dcb26ad2023-11-22T02:18:28ZengMDPI AGPharmaceutics1999-49232021-06-0113798810.3390/pharmaceutics13070988The Multifaceted Role of Extracellular Vesicles in Glioblastoma: microRNA Nanocarriers for Disease Progression and Gene TherapyNatalia Simionescu0Radu Zonda1Anca Roxana Petrovici2Adriana Georgescu3Center of Advanced Research in Bionanoconjugates and Biopolymers, “Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, 41A Grigore Ghica Voda Alley, 700487 Iasi, RomaniaCenter of Advanced Research in Bionanoconjugates and Biopolymers, “Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, 41A Grigore Ghica Voda Alley, 700487 Iasi, RomaniaCenter of Advanced Research in Bionanoconjugates and Biopolymers, “Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, 41A Grigore Ghica Voda Alley, 700487 Iasi, RomaniaDepartment of Pathophysiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Cellular Biology and Pathology “Nicolae Simionescu” of the Romanian Academy, 8 B.P. Hasdeu Street, 050568 Bucharest, RomaniaGlioblastoma (GB) is the most aggressive form of brain cancer in adults, characterized by poor survival rates and lack of effective therapies. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally through specific pairing with target messenger RNAs (mRNAs). Extracellular vesicles (EVs), a heterogeneous group of cell-derived vesicles, transport miRNAs, mRNAs and intracellular proteins, and have been shown to promote horizontal malignancy into adjacent tissue, as well as resistance to conventional therapies. Furthermore, GB-derived EVs have distinct miRNA contents and are able to penetrate the blood–brain barrier. Numerous studies have attempted to identify EV-associated miRNA biomarkers in serum/plasma and cerebrospinal fluid, but their collective findings fail to identify reliable biomarkers that can be applied in clinical settings. However, EVs carrying specific miRNAs or miRNA inhibitors have great potential as therapeutic nanotools in GB, and several studies have investigated this possibility on in vitro and in vivo models. In this review, we discuss the role of EVs and their miRNA content in GB progression and resistance to therapy, with emphasis on their potential as diagnostic, prognostic and disease monitoring biomarkers and as nanocarriers for gene therapy.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/13/7/988extracellular vesiclesglioblastomamicroRNAbiomarkersnanocarrierstherapy |
| spellingShingle | Natalia Simionescu Radu Zonda Anca Roxana Petrovici Adriana Georgescu The Multifaceted Role of Extracellular Vesicles in Glioblastoma: microRNA Nanocarriers for Disease Progression and Gene Therapy Pharmaceutics extracellular vesicles glioblastoma microRNA biomarkers nanocarriers therapy |
| title | The Multifaceted Role of Extracellular Vesicles in Glioblastoma: microRNA Nanocarriers for Disease Progression and Gene Therapy |
| title_full | The Multifaceted Role of Extracellular Vesicles in Glioblastoma: microRNA Nanocarriers for Disease Progression and Gene Therapy |
| title_fullStr | The Multifaceted Role of Extracellular Vesicles in Glioblastoma: microRNA Nanocarriers for Disease Progression and Gene Therapy |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Multifaceted Role of Extracellular Vesicles in Glioblastoma: microRNA Nanocarriers for Disease Progression and Gene Therapy |
| title_short | The Multifaceted Role of Extracellular Vesicles in Glioblastoma: microRNA Nanocarriers for Disease Progression and Gene Therapy |
| title_sort | multifaceted role of extracellular vesicles in glioblastoma microrna nanocarriers for disease progression and gene therapy |
| topic | extracellular vesicles glioblastoma microRNA biomarkers nanocarriers therapy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/13/7/988 |
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