Exosomal Cargo in Ovarian Cancer Dissemination

Abstract

Ovarian cancer (OC) has the highest mortality rate among all gynecologic cancers and is characterized by early peritoneal spread. The growth and development of OC are associated with the formation of ascitic fluid, creating a unique tumor microenvironment. Understanding the mechanisms of tumor progression is crucial in identifying new diagnostic biomarkers and developing novel therapeutic strategies. Exosomes, lipid bilayer vesicles measuring 30–150 nm in size, are known to establish a crucial link between malignant cells and their microenvironment. Additionally, the confirmed involvement of exosomes in carcinogenesis enables them to mediate the invasion, migration, metastasis, and angiogenesis of tumor cells. Functionally active non-coding RNAs (such as microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, circRNAs), proteins, and lipid rafts transported within exosomes can activate numerous signaling pathways and modify gene expression. This review aims to expand our understanding of the role of exosomes and their contents in OC carcinogenesis processes such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), angiogenesis, vasculogenic mimicry, tumor cell proliferation, and peritoneal spread. It also discusses the potential for utilizing exosomal cargo to develop novel “liquid biopsy” biomarkers for early OC diagnosis.