Unraveling the significance of exosomal circRNAs in cancer therapeutic resistance

Exosomes are nanoscale extracellular vesicles secreted by a variety of cells, affecting the physiological and pathological homeostasis. They carry various cargoes including proteins, lipids, DNA, and RNA and have emerged as critical mediators of intercellular communication. During cell-cell communication, they can internalize either by autologous or heterologous recipient cells, which activate different signaling pathways, facilitating malignant progression of cancer. Among different types of cargoes in exosomes, the endogenous non-coding RNAs, such as circular RNAs (or circRNAs), have gained tremendous attention for their high stability and concentration, playing promising functional roles in cancer chemotherapeutic response by regulating the targeted gene expression. In this review, we primarily described the emerging evidence demonstrating the important roles of circular RNAs derived from exosomes in the regulation of cancer-associated signaling pathways that were involved in cancer research and therapeutic interventions. Additionally, the relevant profiles of exosomal circRNAs and their biological implications have been discussed, which is under investigation for their potential effect on the control of cancer therapeutic resistance.

Automated summary

Exosomes, secreted by various cells, play a crucial role in cell-cell communication and have gained attention for their cargoes, including protein, lipids, DNA, and RNA. Among these cargoes, exosomal circular RNAs (circRNAs) have shown promising functional roles in cancer chemotherapeutic response by regulating gene expression. This review focuses on the important roles of exosomal circRNAs in cancer-associated signaling pathways and their potential effect on cancer therapeutic resistance.