Red Blood Cell-Derived Exosomal miR-93-5p Promotes Lung Cancer Progression through PTEN Suppression.

ABSTRACT: Red blood cells (RBCs), which are enucleated and mitochondria-deficient, have traditionally been considered essential for gas exchange and systemic metabolic regulation. Here, an unrecognized role for RBCs in promoting lung cancer progression is identified. In a cohort of 226 lung cancer patients and 239 healthy controls, significantly elevated levels of miR-93-5p are observed in RBCs and RBC-derived exosomes, but not in plasma, with higher levels correlating with advanced stage and poor prognosis. Functional assays demonstrate that RBC-derived exosomal miR-93-5p is transferred to tumor cells, where it suppresses PTEN and enhances proliferation, migration, and invasion. Conversely, exosomes released by lung cancer cells deliver miR-93-5p to RBCs, thereby augmenting its abundance within RBC

SUBMITTER: Li N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12806425 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature