Role of hypoxia-induced exosomes in tumor biology

PURPOSE: Hypoxia is a major regulator of angiogenesis and always influences the release of exosomes in various types of tumors. The present review aimed to assess the role of hypoxia-induced exosomes in the tumor biology. METHODS: The relevant publications were retrieved from PubMed using keywords such as hypoxia, exosome, extracellular vesicles, tumor, cancer, and other similar terms. RESULTS: Recent studies have shown that cancer cells produce more exosomes under hypoxic conditions than do parental cells under normoxic conditions. The secretion and function of exosomes could be influenced by hypoxia in various types of cancer. Hypoxia-induced exosomes play critical roles in tumor angiogenesis, invasion, metastasis, and the immune system. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide new insights into the complex networks underlying cellular and genomic regulation in response to hypoxia and might provide novel and specific targets for future therapies.