Extracellular vesicle RNA signaling in the liver tumor microenvironment

The tumor microenvironment (TME) in liver cancers such as hepatocellular cancer (HCC) consists of a complex milieu of liver tissue-resident cells, infiltrated immune cells, and secreted factors that collectively serve to promote tumor growth and progression. Intercellular crosstalk contributes to tissue homeostasis, and pertur-bations during injury, inflammation and tumorigenesis that are important for tumor progression. Extracellular vesicle (EV)-mediated transfer of a payload of RNA molecules that serve as an intercellular signaling is an important contributor to tissue homeostasis within the TME. Several types of RNA have been implicated in EV-mediated signaling. Biological processes that can be modulated by EV RNA signaling within the liver include tumor growth, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, and modulation of the immune cell activities. This mini-review describes the liver TME, and the biological effects of EV RNA-mediated signaling within the liver to highlight the role of EV RNA in intercellular communication.

Automated summary

The tumor microenvironment in liver cancers is a complex mixture of liver tissue-resident cells, infiltrated immune cells, and secreted factors that promote tumor growth and progression. Extracellular vesicle-mediated transfer of RNA molecules plays a critical role in intercellular communication within the liver to regulate tumor-related processes such as growth, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, and immune cell activities. This mini-review provides an overview of the liver tumor microenvironment and the biological effects of RNA-mediated signaling through extracellular vesicles.