Secreted microRNAs in bone metastasis

Bone metastasis is a common complication in several solid cancers, including breast, prostate, and lung. In the bone microenvironment, metastatic cancer cells disturb bone homeostasis leading to osteolytic or osteosclerotic lesions. Osteolytic lesions are characterized by an increased osteoclast-mediated bone resorption while osteosclerotic lesions are caused by enhanced activity of osteoblasts and formation of poor-quality bone. A common feature in bone metastasis is the complex interplay between the cancer cells and the cells of the bone microenvironment, which can occur already before the cancer cells enter the distant site. Cancer cells at the primary site can secrete soluble factors and extracellular vesicles to bone to create a “pre-metastatic niche” i.e., prime the microenvironment permissive for cancer cell homing, survival, and growth. Once in the bone, cancer cells secrete factors to activate the osteoclasts or osteoblasts and the so called “vicious cycle of bone metastases”. These pathological cell–cell interactions are largely dependent on secreted proteins. However, increasing evidence demonstrates that secreted RNA molecules, in particular small non-coding microRNAs are critical mediators of the crosstalk between bone and cancer cells. This review article discusses the role of secreted miRNAs in bone metastasis development and progression, and their potential as non-invasive biomarkers.