Exosomes in the Chemoresistance of Glioma: Key Point in Chemoresistance

Abstract

Gliomas are the most ordinary primary virulent brain tumours and commonly used clinical treatments include tumour resection, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Although significant progress has been made in recent years in progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) for patients with high-grade gliomas, the prognosis for patients remains poor. Chemoresistance refers to the phenomenon of decreased sensitivity of tumour cells to drugs, resulting in reduced or ineffective drug efficacy, and is an important cause of failure of tumour chemotherapy. Exosomes, a type of extracellular vesicle, are secreted by cancer cells and various stromal cells in the tumour microenvironment (TME) and transfer their inclusions to cancer cells, increasing chemoresistance. Furthermore, depletion of exosomes reverses certain detrimental effects on tumour metabolism and restores sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents. Here, we summarised the correlation between exosomes and resistance to chemotherapeutic agents in glioma patients, the mechanisms of action of exosomes involved in resistance and their clinical value. We aimed to afford new thoughts for research, clinical diagnosis and intervention in the mechanisms of chemoresistance in glioma patients.