Figure 7.

Exosomal non-coding RNAs and distant metastasis

Exosomal non-coding RNAs derived from tumor cells can be transported to distant organs and promote the formation of the pre-metastatic niche. In breast cancer, miR-122 can be transported to the lung and brain via cancer-cell-derived exosomes and inhibits PKM2 and GLUT1 expression, thereby decreasing glucose consumption in lung fibroblasts and brain astrocytes. Exosomal miR-503 derived from breast cancer promotes M2 polarization of microglia and increases PD-L1 expression on the microglial surface, inhibiting T cells. Exosomal miR-940 from prostate cancer regulates ARHGAP1 and FAM134A expression in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, promoting their differentiation into osteoblasts.