Tumor-Derived Exosomes Induce the Formation of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps: Implications For The Establishment of Cancer-Associated Thrombosis.

Cancer patients are at an increased risk of developing thromboembolic complications. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain cancer-associated thrombosis including the release of tumor-derived extracellular vesicles and the activation of host vascular cells. It was proposed that neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) contribute to the prothrombotic phenotype in cancer.

Tumor-cell-derived microvesicles as carriers of molecular information in cancer.

Purpose Of Review: Exosomes and microvesicles are secreted particles of 30-200  nm in diameter, delimited by a lipid bilayer and containing a wide range of membrane-bound or free proteins and nucleic acids (in particular mRNA and miRNA). Here, we review the properties of tumor-cell-derived microvesicles as carriers of molecular information in relation to cancer progression and promotion of metastasis.

Recent Findings: Microvesicles from tumor cells operate as signaling platforms that diffuse in the extracellular space to target cells in the microenvironment, modulating the interactions of tumor cells with stromal, inflammatory, dendritic, immune or vascular cells and priming the formation of the metastatic niche.