scholarly journals Extracellular vesicles as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for cancer

2020 ◽  
Vol 318 (1) ◽  
pp. C29-C39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fumihiko Urabe ◽  
Nobuyoshi Kosaka ◽  
Kagenori Ito ◽  
Takahiro Kimura ◽  
Shin Egawa ◽  
...  

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small lipid membrane vesicles that are secreted from almost all kinds of cells into the extracellular space. EVs are widely accepted to be involved in various cellular processes; in particular, EVs derived from cancer cells have been reported to play important roles in modifying the tumor microenvironment and promoting tumor progression. In addition, EVs derived from cancer cells encapsulate various kinds of tumor-specific molecules, such as proteins and RNAs, which contribute to cancer malignancy. Therefore, the unveiling of the precise mechanism of intercellular communication via EVs in cancer patients will provide a novel strategy for cancer treatment. Furthermore, a focus on the contents of EVs could promote the use of EVs in body fluids as clinically useful diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. In this review, we summarize the current research knowledge on EVs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets and discuss their potential clinical applications.

Membranes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 199
Author(s):  
Silvia Marconi ◽  
Sara Santamaria ◽  
Martina Bartolucci ◽  
Sara Stigliani ◽  
Cinzia Aiello ◽  
...  

Cancers overexpressing the ERBB2 oncogene are aggressive and associated with a poor prognosis. Trastuzumab is an ERBB2 specific recombinant antibody employed for the treatment of these diseases since it blocks ERBB2 signaling causing growth arrest and survival inhibition. While the effects of Trastuzumab on ERBB2 cancer cells are well known, those on the extracellular vesicles (EVs) released from these cells are scarce. This study focused on ERBB2+ breast cancer cells and aimed to establish what type of EVs they release and whether Trastuzumab affects their morphology and molecular composition. To these aims, we performed immunoelectron microscopy, immunoblot, and high-resolution mass spectrometry analyses on EVs purified by differential centrifugation of culture supernatant. Here, we show that EVs released from ERBB2+ breast cancer cells are polymorphic in size and appearance and that ERBB2 is preferentially associated with large (120 nm) EVs. Moreover, we report that Trastuzumab (Tz) induces the expression of a specific glycosylated 50 kDa isoform of the CD63 tetraspanin and modulates the expression of 51 EVs proteins, including TOP1. Because these proteins are functionally associated with organelle organization, cytokinesis, and response to lipids, we suggest that Tz may influence these cellular processes in target cells at distant sites via modified EVs.


Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 1911
Author(s):  
Anastasiya Oshchepkova ◽  
Oleg Markov ◽  
Evgeniy Evtushenko ◽  
Alexander Chernonosov ◽  
Elena Kiseleva ◽  
...  

The main advantage of extracellular vesicles (EVs) as a drug carrier system is their low immunogenicity and internalization by mammalian cells. EVs are often considered a cell-specific delivery system, but the production of preparative amounts of EVs for therapeutic applications is challenging due to their laborious isolation and purification procedures. Alternatively, mimetic vesicles prepared from the cellular plasma membrane can be used in the same way as natural EVs. For example, a cytoskeleton-destabilizing agent, such as cytochalasin B, allows the preparation of membrane vesicles by a series of centrifugations. Here, we prepared cytochalasin-B-inducible nanovesicles (CINVs) of various cellular origins and studied their tropism in different mammalian cells. We observed that CINVs derived from human endometrial mesenchymal stem cells exhibited an enhanced affinity to epithelial cancer cells compared to myeloid, lymphoid or neuroblastoma cancer cells. The dendritic cell-derived CINVs were taken up by all studied cell lines with a similar efficiency that differed from the behavior of DC-derived EVs. The ability of cancer cells to internalize CINVs was mainly determined by the properties of recipient cells, and the cellular origin of CINVs was less important. In addition, receptor-mediated interactions were shown to be necessary for the efficient uptake of CINVs. We found that CINVs, derived from late apoptotic/necrotic cells (aCINVs) are internalized by in myelogenous (K562) 10-fold more efficiently than CINVs, and interact much less efficiently with melanocytic (B16) or epithelial (KB-3-1) cancer cells. Finally, we found that CINVs caused a temporal and reversible drop of the rate of cell division, which restored to the level of control cells with a 24 h delay.


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shenglong Li

AbstractBone sarcomas are rare cancers accompanied by metastatic disease, mainly including osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma and chondrosarcoma. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane vesicles released by cells in the extracellular matrix, which carry important signal molecules, can stably and widely present in various body fluids, such as plasma, saliva and scalp fluid, spinal cord, breast milk, and urine liquid. EVs can transport almost all types of biologically active molecules (DNA, mRNA, microRNA (miRNA), proteins, metabolites, and even pharmacological compounds). In this review, we summarized the basic biological characteristics of EVs and focused on their application in bone sarcomas. EVs can be use as biomarker vehicles for diagnosis and prognosis in bone sarcomas. The role of EVs in bone sarcoma has been analyzed point-by-point. In the microenvironment of bone sarcoma, bone sarcoma cells, mesenchymal stem cells, immune cells, fibroblasts, osteoclasts, osteoblasts, and endothelial cells coexist and interact with each other. EVs play an important role in the communication between cells. Based on multiple functions in bone sarcoma, this review provides new ideas for the discovery of new therapeutic targets and new diagnostic analysis.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Campanella ◽  
Celeste Caruso Bavisotto ◽  
Mariantonia Logozzi ◽  
Antonella Marino Gammazza ◽  
Davide Mizzoni ◽  
...  

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid membrane vesicles released by all human cells and are widely recognized to be involved in many cellular processes, both in physiological and pathological conditions. They are mediators of cell-cell communication, at both paracrine and systemic levels, and therefore they are active players in cell differentiation, tissue homeostasis, and organ remodeling. Due to their ability to serve as a cargo for proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, which often reflects the cellular source, they should be considered the future of the natural nanodelivery of bio-compounds. To date, natural nanovesicles, such as exosomes, have been shown to represent a source of disease biomarkers and have high potential benefits in regenerative medicine. Indeed, they deliver both chemical and bio-molecules in a way that within exosomes drugs are more effective that in their exosome-free form. Thus, to date, we know that exosomes are shuttle disease biomarkers and probably the most effective way to deliver therapeutic molecules within target cells. However, we do not know exactly which exosomes may be used in therapy in avoiding side effects as well. In regenerative medicine, it will be ideal to use autologous exosomes, but it seems not ideal to use plasma-derived exosomes, as they may contain potentially dangerous molecules. Here, we want to present and discuss a contradictory relatively unmet issue that is the lack of a general agreement on the choice for the source of extracellular vesicles for therapeutic use.


Author(s):  
Shenglong Li ◽  
Wei Wang

As one of the most common metastatic sites, bone has a unique microenvironment for the growth and prosperity of metastatic tumor cells. Bone metastasis is a common complication for tumor patients and accounts for 15–20% of systemic metastasis, which is only secondary to lung and liver metastasis. Cancers prone to bone metastasis include lung, breast, and prostate cancer. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid membrane vesicles released from different cell types. It is clear that EVs are associated with multiple biological phenomena and are crucial for intracellular communication by transporting intracellular substances. Recent studies have implicated EVs in the development of cancer. However, the potential roles of EVs in the pathological exchange of bone cells between tumors and the bone microenvironment remain an emerging area. This review is focused on the role of tumor-derived EVs in bone metastasis and possible regulatory mechanisms.


Author(s):  
Silvia Marconi ◽  
Sara Santamaria ◽  
Martina Bertolucci ◽  
Sara Stigliani ◽  
Cinzia Aiello ◽  
...  

Cancers overexpressing the ERBB2 oncogene are aggressive and associated with a poor prognosis. Trastuzumab is a ERBB2 specific recombinant antibody employed for the treatment of these diseases since it blocks ERBB2 signaling causing growth arrest and survival inhibition. While the effects of Trastuzumab on ERBB2 cancer cells are well known, those on the extracellular vesicles released from these cells are scarce. This study focused on ERBB2+ breast cancer cells and aimed to establish what type of EVs they release and whether Trastuzumab affects their morphology and molecular composition. To these aims, we performed immunoelectron microscopy, immunoblot, and high-resolution mass spectrometry analyses on EVs purified by differential centrifugation of culture supernatant. Here we show that EVs released from ERBB2+ breast cancer cells are polymorphic in size and appearance, and that ERBB2 is preferentially associated with large (120 nm) EVs. Moreover, we report that Tz induces the expression of a specific glycosylated 50 kDa isoform of the CD63 tetraspanin and modulates the expression of 51 EVs proteins, including TOP1. As these proteins are functionally associated with organelle organization, cytokinesis, and response to lipids, we suggest that Tz may influence these cellular processes in target cells at distant sites via modified EVs.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Zhang ◽  
Ming Zhao ◽  
Qianjin Lu

In the last two decades, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have aroused wide interest among researchers in basic and clinical research. EVs, small membrane vesicles are released by almost all kinds of cells into the extracellular environment. According to many recent studies, EVs participate in immunomodulation and play an important role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. In addition, EVs have great potential in the diagnosis and therapy of autoimmune diseases. Here, we reviewed the latest research advances on the functions and mechanisms of EVs and their roles in the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.


2021 ◽  
Vol 153 ◽  
pp. 106519
Author(s):  
Alejandra Garcia-Hernandez ◽  
Elizabeth Leal-Orta ◽  
Javier Ramirez-Ricardo ◽  
Pedro Cortes-Reynosa ◽  
Rocio Thompson-Bonilla ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aswin T. Srivatsav ◽  
Shobhna Kapoor

Lipids are essential components of cell membranes and govern various membrane functions. Lipid organization within membrane plane dictates recruitment of specific proteins and lipids into distinct nanoclusters that initiate cellular signaling while modulating protein and lipid functions. In addition, one of the most versatile function of lipids is the formation of diverse lipid membrane vesicles for regulating various cellular processes including intracellular trafficking of molecular cargo. In this review, we focus on the various kinds of membrane vesicles in eukaryotes and bacteria, their biogenesis, and their multifaceted functional roles in cellular communication, host-pathogen interactions and biotechnological applications. We elaborate on how their distinct lipid composition of membrane vesicles compared to parent cells enables early and non-invasive diagnosis of cancer andtuberculosis, while inspiring vaccine development and drug delivery platforms. Finally, we discuss the use of membrane vesicles as excellent tools for investigating membrane lateral organization and protein sorting, which is otherwise challenging but extremely crucial for normal cellular functioning. We present current limitations in this field and how the same could be addressed to propel a fundamental and technology-oriented future for extracellular membrane vesicles.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-27
Author(s):  
Christoph Metzner ◽  
Marianne Zaruba

A broad definition of extracellular vesicles – lipid membrane enclosed vesicles of a given size range, produced by cells into the surrounding media and unable to replicate independently – does not only apply to exosomes or microvesicles produced by eukaryotic cells, outer membrane or outer-inner membrane vesicles produced by gram-negative bacteria and membrane vesicles produced by gram-positive bacteria (and archaea), but also extends to enveloped virus particles. They share biophysical and biochemical characteristics as well as functional properties, making it a challenge to distinguish between types of vesicles. In this review, we will briefly introduce different extracellular vesicles before concentrating on the relationship of viral particles to extracellular vesicles, taking practical issues into consideration as well as molecular interactions and the subsequent effects on infectivity and pathogenesis. Finally, we will briefly discuss potential applications of the relationship between extracellular vesicles and viral particles.


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