Exosomal long non-coding RNAs: biological properties and therapeutic potential in cancer treatment.

Exosomes and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as important elements contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of cancer development and progression. The discovery of lncRNAs in exosomes further indicates their bona fide biological functional roles in cancer development and drug resistance. In this review, we describe the biogenesis of exosomes and summarize the function of exosomal lncRNAs in the field of cancer research. These findings strikingly advance current knowledge of exosomal lncRNAs and suggest that they may be promising diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for cancer.

Th17 expression and IL-17 levels in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients.

CONCLUSION: The Th17 cell frequency in peripheral blood and levels of IL-17 showed significant differences between patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and those with vocal cords polyps. Serum levels of IL-17 were correlated with laryngocarcinoma staging. OBJECTIVES: To investigate associations among the frequency of Th17 cells, levels of IL-17, and laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. METHOD: Eighty in-patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and 114 in-patients with polypus of the vocal cord were enrolled. Th17 cell frequencies in peripheral blood and serum levels of IL-17 were measured by flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. The tissue expression levels of IL-17 mRNA transcripts and protein were measured using quantitative RT-PCR or immunohistochemical detection, respectively. RESULTS: Th17 cell frequencies in peripheral blood and serum concentrations of IL-17 were significantly higher in patients with laryngocarcinoma compared with those in patients with polyps (p < 0.01 for both Th17 cells and IL-17 levels). Serum concentrations of IL-17 were significantly higher in patients with advanced laryngocarcinoma than in patients with early laryngocarcinoma (p < 0.01). The mRNA and protein levels of IL-17 were significantly higher in laryngocarcinoma tissues than in adjacent normal tissues (p < 0.01 for mRNA levels, p < 0.05 for protein levels).

Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD)-Modified E1A/E1B Double Mutant Adenovirus Enhances Antitumor Activity in Prostate Cancer Cells In Vitro and in Mice.

CAR is a transmembrane protein that is expressed in various epithelial and endothelial cells. CAR mediates adenoviral infection, as well as adenovirus-mediated oncolysis of AxdAdB-3, an E1A/E1B double-restricted oncolytic adenovirus, in prostate cancer cells. This study further assessed the therapeutic efficacy of AxdAdB-3 with Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD)-fiber modification (AxdAdB3-F/RGD), which enables integrin-dependent infection, in prostate cancer. Susceptibility of prostate cancer cells LNCaP, PC3, and DU145 to adenovirus infection was associated with CAR expression. All of the prostate cancer cell lines expressed integrin αvß3 and αvß5. AxdAdB-3 was more cytopathic in CAR-positive prostate cancer cells than in CAR-negative cells, whereas AxdAdB3-F/RGD caused potent oncolysis in both CAR-positive and CAR-negative prostate cancer cells. In contrast, AxdAdB3-F/RGD was not cytopathic against normal prostate epithelial cells, RWPE-1. Intratumoral injection of AxdAdB3-F/RGD into CAR-negative prostate cancer cell xenografts in nude mice inhibited tumor growth. The current study demonstrates that E1A/E1B double-restricted oncolytic adenovirus with an RGD-fiber modification enhances infection efficiency and anti-tumor activity in CAR-deficient prostate cancer cells, while sparing normal cells. Future studies will evaluate the therapeutic potential of AxdAdB3-F/RGD in prostate cancer.