Topic: Exposome and Epigenetic Regulation of Extracellular Vesicles in Cancer

The regulation of extracellular vesicle (EV) biogenesis, release, and uptake plays important roles in cancer development and cell communication. EVs transport various molecules, including RNA species (long non-coding RNAs, mRNAs, and microRNAs), proteins (such as oncoproteins and oncopeptides), genomic material, lipids, and metabolic cargo, facilitating cellular communication in the tumor microenvironment. Cancer-derived EVs can both directly and indirectly promote cancer spread by contributing to the preparation of pre-metastatic niches, tumor initiation, invasion, sustained growth, and metastasis. Notably, cancer cells secrete a higher quantity of EVs compared to normal cells, underscoring the importance of understanding the mechanisms that modulate cancer EV release profiles and their uptake by recipient cells for the development of effective therapeutic strategies. The impact of environmental factors (e.g., toxins, pollution, radiation, drugs) and the epigenetic roles for EV-mediated communication in cancer are gaining increased attention, including EV-cargo-mediated modulation of post-transcriptional RNA regulation, changes in DNA methylation, and histone modifications. Understanding to what extent EV release, cargo content, and EV uptake are influenced by the exposome and epigenetic changes is therefore of considerable interest. 

This Special Issue aims to compile research articles, reviews, and perspectives to further the current understanding of epigenetic and exposome-mediated changes in EV communication in cancer.