Fig. 3: The contributions of tumor-derived EV-ncRNAs to TC progression.
From: Navigating thyroid cancer complexity: the emerging role of EV-derived non-coding RNAs
EV-ncRNAs play crucial roles in the growth and metastasis of TC by mediating intercellular communication within the tumor microenvironment. EVs carry various ncRNAs, including miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs, which significantly influence oncogenic processes. For instance, miRNAs such as miR-146b and miR-222 are overexpressed in PTC cell exosomes, negatively affecting cell proliferation. MiR-423-5p, elevated in PTC serum, enhances cell migration and invasion, while miR-21-5p, upregulated under hypoxic conditions, promotes angiogenesis by targeting TGFBI and COL4A1. Additionally, miR-221-3p facilitates proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by targeting ZFAND5. LncRNAs like CDKN2B-AS1, found in cancer stem cell-derived exosomes, boost TC cell proliferation and invasion through TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signaling, whereas DOCK9-AS2 activates the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, exacerbating PTC progression. CircRNAs, such as circ007293, enriched in PTC patient serum exosomes, promote EMT, invasion, and proliferation by regulating the miR-653-5p/PAX6 axis. These EV-ncRNAs are integral to modifying the tumor microenvironment and driving TC progression.
