microRNA regulation of cancer-endothelial interactions: vesicular microRNAs on the move….

EMBO J (2012) 31 17, 3513–3523 doi:10.1038/emboj.2012.183 Molecular mechanisms that enable cancer cells to recruit endothelial cells are intensely studied. Zhuang et al (2012) in this issue of The EMBO Journal describe a new mode of communication between cancer cells and endothelial cells that drives endothelial migration. The authors characterize a small non-coding RNA (microRNA-9) that transfers information from cancer to endothelial cells. This microRNA is transported to endothelial cells in microvesicles, functionally facilitating angiogenesis and tumour growth.