Innovative tools to detect Glioblastoma (GBM) exosomes

ended

“Gl.EXO” is about innovative tools to detect Glioblastoma (GBM) exosomes and to have a timely, accurate and non-invasive diagnosis of GBM. Several studies have underlined the role of exosome cell–cell communication in different tumour types, including GBM, suggesting their potential use as diagnostic/prognostic/predictive biomarkers and therapeutic agents. In fact, evidences have demonstrated that the release of GBM exosomes plays a key role in cancer growth and progression by modulating tumor microenviroment and affecting angiogenesis, tumour migration, immune escape and drug resistance. However, GBM exosomes-enriched proteins characterization started only since few years and studies still lack informations on GBM exosomes cargo and their impact on cancer progression. Moreover, the identification of specific biomarkers able to discriminate between cancer exosomes from normal exosomes and tools for their detection are necessary and still unknown. Therefore, by inhibiting GBM exosomes uptake, “Gl.EXO” will contribute to hamper GBM progression in many cancer aspects. To address this issue, “Gl.EXO” aims to use nucleic acid-based aptamers as innovative tools to detect specifically GBM exosomes.