The role of exosomes in cancer-related programmed cell death.

Cancer arises from the growth and division of uncontrolled erroneous cells. Programmed cell death (PCD), or regulated cell death (RCD), includes natural processes that eliminate damaged or abnormal cells. Dysregulation of PCD is a hallmark of cancer, as cancer cells often evade cell death and continue to proliferate. Exosomes nanoscale extracellular vesicles secreted by different types of cells carrying a variety of molecules, including nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids, to have indispensable role in the communication between cells, and can influence various cellular processes, including PCD. Exosomes have been shown to modulate PCD in cancer cells by transferring pro- or antideath molecules to neighboring cells. Additionally, exosomes can facilitate the spread of PCD to surrounding cancer cells, making them promising in the treatment of various cancers. The exosomes' diagnostic potential in cancer is also an active area of research. Exosomes can be isolated from a wide range of bodily fluids and tissues, such as blood and urine, and can provide a noninvasive way to monitor cancer progression and treatment response. Furthermore, exosomes have also been employed as a delivery system for therapeutic agents. By engineering exosomes to carry drugs or other therapeutic molecules, they can be targeted specifically to cancer cells, reducing toxicity to healthy tissues. Here, we discussed exosomes in the diagnosis and prevention of cancers, tumor immunotherapy, and drug delivery, as well as in different types of PCD.

Liquid biopsy analysis of lipometabolic exosomes in pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is characterized by its high malignancy, insidious onset and poor prognosis. Most patients with pancreatic cancer are usually diagnosed at advanced stage or with the distant metastasis due to the lack of an effective early screening method. Liquid biopsy technology is promising in studying the occurrence, progression, and early metastasis of pancreatic cancer. In particular, exosomes are pivotal biomarkers in lipid metabolism and liquid biopsy of blood exosomes is valuable for the evaluation of pancreatic cancer. Lipid metabolism is crucial for the formation and activity of exosomes in the extracellular environment. Exosomes and lipids have a complex relationship of mutual influence. Furthermore, spatial metabolomics can quantify the levels and spatial locations of individual metabolites in cancer tissue, cancer stroma, and para-cancerous tissue in pancreatic cancer. However, the relationship among exosomes, lipid metabolism, and pancreatic cancer is also worth considering. This study mainly updates the research progress of metabolomics in pancreatic cancer, their relationship with exosomes, an important part of liquid biopsy, and their lipometabolic roles in pancreatic cancer. We also discuss the mechanisms by which possible metabolites, especially lipid metabolites through exosome transport and other processes, contribute to the recurrence and metastasis of pancreatic cancer.

Bioinformatic Analysis Identifying PSMB 1/2/3/4/6/8/9/10 as Prognostic Indicators in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Renal cancer incidence has been increasing across the world, clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) represents the major subtype of renal cancer. The proteasome is involved in onset, metabolism and survival of tumor and has been recognized as a therapeutic target for various malignancies, while the role of ß subunits of proteasome, PSMB gene family, in ccRCC has not been fully unveiled. Herein we investigated the expression and the prognostic role of PSMBs in ccRCC by analyzing a series of databases, including ONCOMINE, UALCAN, cBioPortal, STRING, GEPIA, GO and KEGG. Over-expressions of PSMB1/2/4/7/8/9/10 mRNA were found in ccRCC tissues compared to normal tissues, transcriptional levels of PSMB2/3/4/6/8/9/10 were significantly positively associated with patients' individual cancer stages and grades. Similar or higher levels of proteins encoded by PSMB1/2/3/7/8/9/10 were observed in tumor tissues compared to normal renal tissues. Further, high mRNA levels of PSMB1/2/3/4/6/10 were correlated with shorter overall survival in univariate analysis. Taken together, the results of our analysis implied that overexpression of PSMB1/2/3/4/6/8/9/10 were indicative of worse prognosis of ccRCC. However, further researches were required to validate our findings.

Correlation Between Retinal Microstructure Detected by Optical Coherence Tomography and Best Corrected Visual Acuity in Diabetic Retinopathy Macular Edema.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the correlation between best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and retinal microstructural parameters detected by optical coherence tomography (OCT) in diabetic retinopathy macular edema (DRME). Methods: Thirty-nine patients (64 eyes) with DRME were enrolled in this study. These patients underwent OCT to measure the fracture distance of the external limiting membrane (ELM), junction between the inner and outer segments (IS/OS), central foveal thickness (CFT), and edema layer. The correlation between the above parameters and BCVA was discussed. Results: CFT and the fracture distances of the ELM and IS/OS layers were negatively correlated with BCVA (p<0.05 for all). There was significant difference in Logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (LogMAR) BCVA among patients with inner retinal edema, outer retinal edema, and mixed retinal edema (F = 5.57, p = 0.01). The LogMAR BCVA of inner retinal edema was the lowest (p < 0.05), and the LogMAR BCVA of outer retinal edema and mixed retinal edema were comparable (p > 0.05). Conclusion: In eyes with DRME, thin CFT, intact ELM and IS/OS layers, and edema in inner retina is closely correlated with good BCVA.