Abstract:

Exosomes are extracellular vesicles secreted by cells and are rich in genetic material and proteins. The surfaces of exosome membranes contain many blast-specific markers that provide an important basis for disease diagnosis, progression, and treatment. Herein, we searched the Web of Science core collection (SCI-EXPENED) database for research and review articles on “exosomes” and “biomarkers” or “diagnostics” or “liquid biopsy” as research topics between 2010 and 2024. Bibliometric analysis revealed that exosomes have received increasing levels of attention as disease biomarkers, with China contributing the most to these studies. Herein, we focus on marker diagnoses for cancer, inflammation, and diabetes, as well as neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases. Chromatography, mass spectrometry, Raman spectroscopy, and other techniques are typically used to analyze exosomal nucleic acids, proteins, and metabolites, with commonly used test samples including plasma, serum, urine, saliva, cerebrospinal fluid, and other bodily fluids. Research into exosomes as tumor markers has mainly focused on eight highly prevalent cancers, including lung, breast, and prostate cancers. This paper focuses on exosomes as disease biomarkers and uses a bibliometric tool system to analyze the use of exosomes and their contents as biomarkers in the disease diagnosis field between 2010 and 2024, analyzes development prospects, and discusses future exosome-mediated efforts for diagnosing and treating diseases, and is expected to provide a reference for studying and applying exosomes as disease markers.

Key words: exosomes, biomarkers, liquid biopsy, disease diagnosis, bibliometric analysis