Emerging roles of extracellular vesicles in the adaptive response of tumour cells to microenvironmental stress

Abstract

Cells are constantly subjected to various types of endogenous and exogenous stressful stimuli, which can cause serious and even permanent damage. The ability of a cell to sense and adapt to environmental alterations is thus vital to maintain tissue homeostasis during development and adult life. Here, we review some of the major phenotypic characteristics of the hostile tumour microenvironment and the emerging roles of extracellular vesicles in these events.

• extracellular vesicles
• exosomes
• shed microvesicles
• cancer
• tumour microenvironment
• stress response

Conflict of interest and funding

The work has been supported by grants from the Swedish Cancer Fund; the Swedish Research Council; the Swedish Society of Medicine; the Physiographic Society, Lund; the Gunnar Nilsson and Kamprad Foundations; the Lund University Hospital donation funds; and the Governmental funding of clinical research within the national health services (ALF).