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Table 1 Roles of exosomes/exosomal cargo contents in regulating cancer radiosensitivity

From: Mechanism and clinical value of exosomes and exosomal contents in regulating solid tumor radiosensitivity

Exosomes/Exosomal contents

Cancer types

Mechanism

Function

References

Exosomes (↑)

HNSCC

Increase DNA double-strand break repair and promote proliferation

Promote radioresistance

[34]

Exosome miR-9 (↑)

HPV + HNSCC

Polarize macrophages into M1 phenotype via downregulating PPARγ

Promote radiosensitivity

[35]

Exosome miR-34c(↑)

NPC

Block the EMT process by directly targeting β-catenin

Promote radiosensitivity

[37]

Exosome circMYC (↑)

NPC

Sponge miR-20b-5p and let-7e-3p

Promote radioresistance

[38]

LMP1-positive exosomes (↑)

NPC

Stimulate p38 MAPK signaling through the exosomal transfer of LMP1 to recipient cells

Promote radioresistance

[30]

Exosome miR-340-5P(↑)

ESCC

Alleviate radiation-induced apoptosis and accelerate DNA damage repair by directly targeting KLF10

Promote radioresistance

[29]

Exosome miR-339-5p(↑)

ESCC

Directly target Cdc25A

Promote radiosensitivity

[46]

Exosome NORAD(↓)

ESCC

Promote exosomal miR-199a-5p dispersion

Promote radiosensitivity

[47]

Exosome miR-208a(↑)

NSCLC

Target p21 with a corresponding activation of the AKT/mTOR pathway

Promote radioresistance

[48]

Exosome miR-1246(↑)

NSCLC

Target the DR5

Promote radioresistance

[49]

Exosome miR-26b-5p(↑)

LUAD

Target ATF2 in DNA damage

Promote radiosensitivity

[53]

Exosome lncRNA AGAP2-AS1(↑)

NSCLC

Downregulate miR-296 and upregulate NOTCH2

Promote radioresistance

[54]

Exosome HSP70(↑)

NSCLC

Synthesize hypoxia-related genes

Promote radioresistance

[55]

Exosomes(↑)

CRC

Promote colorectal cancer stem cell phenotype

Promote radioresistance

[61]

Exosome miR-590-3p(↑)

CRC

Regulate the CLCA4-dependent PI3K/Akt signaling pathway positively

Promote radioresistance

[62]

Exosome miR-93-5p(↑)

CRC

Downregulate FOXA1 and upregulate TGFB3

Promote radioresistance

[63]

Exosome miR-19b(↑)

CRC

Target FBXWT to promote colorectal cancer stem cell stemness

Promote radioresistance

[64]

Exosome circ-0067835(↓)

CRC

Upregulate miR-296-5p and downregulate IGFIR

Promote radiosensitivity

[31]

Exosome AHIF (↑)

Glioblastoma

AHIF-mediated p53 downregulation and anti-apoptosis

Promote radioresistance

[77]

Exosome miR-301a (↑)

Glioblastoma

Directly target TCEAL7, TCEAL7 negatively regulate the Wnt/β-catenin pathway

Promote radioresistance

[78]

Exosome circ-METRN (↑)

Glioblastoma

MiR-4709-3p/GRB14/PDGFRα pathway

Promote radioresistance

[82]

Exosomes (↑)

Glioblastoma

Increase oncogenic miRNAs、mRNAs and pro-survival proteasome pathway;decrease levels of tumor-suppressive miRNAs and mRNAs

Promote radioresistance

[83]

Exosome circATP8B4(↑)

Glioblastoma

MiR766 sponge

Promote radioresistance

[84]

Exosomes (↑)

Neuroblastoma

Activate downstream dependent survival pathway

Promote radioresistance

[86]

Exosome miR-194-5p (↑)

Pancreatic cancer

Enhance DNA damage response in TRCs

Promote radioresistance

[87]

Exosomes (↑)

Prostate cancer

Induce autophagy

Promote radiosensitivity

[89, 90]

Exosome HSP DNAJB8(↑)

Renal cell carcinoma

Maintain RCC CSCs/CICs

Promote radioresistance

[92, 93]

Exosome survivin(↑)

cervical carcinoma

Bystander effect

Promote radioresistance

[95]

Exosome miR-22(↑)

cervical carcinoma

Upregulate apoptotic pathway

Promote radiosensitivity

[96]

Exosomes (↑)

Melanoma

Stimulate tumor cell death

Promote radiosensitivity

[97]

Exosomes (↑)

Breast cancer

Induce autophagy

Promote radiosensitivity

[89, 90]

Exosomes (↑)

Breast cancer

Paracrine and juxtacrine signaling

Promote radiosensitivity

[98]

Exosomes proteome (↑)

Breast cancer

Hypoxic microenvironments; upregulate pro-survival factors

Promote radioresistance

[99]

Exosomes (↑)

Breast cancer

Increase the activity of exosomal secretory pathway

Promote radioresistance

[79]

  1. HNSCC: Head and neck squamous cell cancer; NPC: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma; ESCC: Esophageal squamous carcinoma; NSCLC: Non—small cell lung cancer; LUAD: Lung adenocarcinoma; CRC: Colorectal cancer