Dissecting exosome inhibitors: therapeutic insights into small-molecule chemicals against cancer

Intensive research in the field of cancer biology has revealed unique methods of communication between cells through extracellular vesicles called exosomes. Exosomes are released from a broad spectrum of cell types and serve as functional mediators under physiological or pathological conditions. Hence, blocking the release of exosome bio carriers may prove useful for slowing the progression of certain types of cancers. Therefore, efforts are being made to develop exosome inhibitors to be used both as research tools and as therapies in clinical trials. Thus, studies on exosomes may lead to a breakthrough in cancer research, for which new clinical targets for different types of cancers are urgently needed. In this review, we briefly outline exosome inhibitors and discuss their modes of action and potential for use as therapeutic tools for cancer. Cancer: Blocking vesicle release from tumors Understanding how cells produce and release exosomes, nano-sized membrane-bound vesicles containing biological molecules, holds promise for developing new cancer therapies. Tumors release exosomes that remodel the nearby environment to promote cancer growth, suppress the immune response and induce drug resistance. Although some aspects of exosomes have been studied, little attention has been paid to exosome inhibitors and how they work. Moon-Chang Baek at Kyungpook National University in Daegu, South Korea, and co-workers have reviewed exosome inhibitors and possible applications to cancer, reporting that several compounds, such as pantethine, suppress exosome production and others, such as sulfisoxazole and macitentan, suppress exosome release. They report that inhibiting exosome release can prevent tumor cells from purging anti-cancer drugs, thus increasing drug accumulation and efficacy. This review highlights new options for alternative therapies for many types of cancer.

Automated summary

Intensive research in cancer biology has revealed unique methods of communication between cells using extracellular vesicles called exosomes. Blocking the release of exosomes may slow down cancer progression. Efforts are being made to develop exosome inhibitors for research and clinical trials.