Urinary exosomes: Potential diagnostic markers and application in bladder cancer

Ji Liu; Zhang Zhijin; Wentao Zhang; Maskey Niraj; Fuhan Yang; Guo Changcheng; Liliang Shen; Tianyuan Xu; Shenghua Liu; Zhang Junfeng; Shiyu Mao; Wei Li; Xudong Yao

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32621

Urinary exosomes: Potential diagnostic markers and application in bladder cancer

Heliyon. 2024 Jun 10;10(12):e32621. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32621. eCollection 2024 Jun 30.

Authors

Ji Liu^{1

2}, Zhang Zhijin^{1

2}, Wentao Zhang^{1

2}, Maskey Niraj^{1

2}, Fuhan Yang^{1

2}, Guo Changcheng^{1

2}, Liliang Shen³, Tianyuan Xu^{1

2}, Shenghua Liu⁴, Zhang Junfeng^{1

2}, Shiyu Mao^{1

2}, Wei Li^{1

2}, Xudong Yao^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Urology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200072, China.
² Urologic Cancer Institute, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200331, China.
³ Department of Urology, The Affiliated Yinzhou Renmin Hospital of Medical School of Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315040, China.
⁴ Shanghai Huashan Hospital, Shanghai, 200433, China.

Abstract

Background: The exosome is a critical component of the intercellular communication., playing a vital role in regulating cell function. These small vesicles contain proteins, mRNAs, miRNAs, and lncRNAs, surrounded by lipid bilayer substances. Most cells in the human body can produce exosomes, released into various body fluids such as urine, blood, and cerebrospinal fluid. Bladder cancer is the most common tumor in the urinary system, with high recurrence and metastasis rates. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for improving patient outcomes.

Methods: This study employed the PubMed search engine to retrieve publicly accessible data pertaining to urinary exosomes.

Results: We summarize the origins and intricate biological characteristics of urinary exosomes, the introduction of research methodologies used in basic experiments to isolate and analyze these exosomes, the discussion of their applications and progress in the diagnosis and treatment of bladder cancer, and the exploration of the current limitations associated with using urinary exosomes as molecular biomarkers for diagnosing bladder cancer.

Conclusion: Exosomes isolated from urine may be used as molecular biomarkers for early detection of bladder cancer.

Keywords: Biomarker; Bladder cancer diagnosis; Exosomes; Liquid biopsy; Urine.

Publication types

Review