Influence of microvesicles in breast cancer metastasis and their therapeutic implications

Microvesicles are membranous sac structures released from cell surfaces of many eukaryotic cells. Their presence in the blood and urine also signify their potential use as biomarkers for early detection and diagnosis of different diseases. At present, synthesis and release of these vesicles from mammary tumor cells and their role in disease progression requires further research. In this report, correlation of microvesicles along with breast cancer metastasis has been explored. Metastasis is a process of a non-randomized set of events, which begins with a loss of cancer cell adhesion at the primary tumor site. Later on, these cells invade the surrounding tissue and enter into circulation. After compromising host immune response, these cells extravasate and localized at the suitable distant site for a secondary growth. Involvement of microvesicles in modulating this process has also been observed. Microvesicles released from primary cancer cells may carry mRNA, miRNAs, DNA and various proteins. These vesicles may also influence multi drug resistance as observed in breast and leukemia cancer cell lines. A thorough understanding of microvesicles synthesis and their potential implication in metastasis would facilitate the design of novel therapeutic approach for breast cancer.