scholarly journals Extracellular Vesicles: A Novel Tool Facilitating Personalized Medicine and Pharmacogenomics in Oncology

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katja Goričar ◽  
Vita Dolžan ◽  
Metka Lenassi

Biomarkers that can guide cancer therapy based on patients’ individual cancer molecular signature can enable a more effective treatment with fewer adverse events. Data on actionable somatic mutations and germline genetic variants, studied by personalized medicine and pharmacogenomics, can be obtained from tumor tissue or blood samples. As tissue biopsy cannot reflect the heterogeneity of the tumor or its temporal changes, liquid biopsy is a promising alternative approach. In recent years, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as a potential source of biomarkers in liquid biopsy. EVs are a heterogeneous population of membrane bound particles, which are released from all cells and accumulate into body fluids. They contain various proteins, lipids, nucleic acids (miRNA, mRNA, and DNA) and metabolites. In cancer, EV biomolecular composition and concentration are changed. Tumor EVs can promote the remodeling of the tumor microenvironment and pre-metastatic niche formation, and contribute to transfer of oncogenic potential or drug resistance during chemotherapy. This makes them a promising source of minimally invasive biomarkers. A limited number of clinical studies investigated EVs to monitor cancer progression, tumor evolution or drug resistance and several putative EV-bound protein and RNA biomarkers were identified. This review is focused on EVs as novel biomarker source for personalized medicine and pharmacogenomics in oncology. As several pharmacogenes and genes associated with targeted therapy, chemotherapy or hormonal therapy were already detected in EVs, they might be used for fine-tuning personalized cancer treatment.

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 2221
Author(s):  
Luis Enrique Cortés-Hernández ◽  
Zahra Eslami-S ◽  
Bruno Costa-Silva ◽  
Catherine Alix-Panabières

In cancer, many analytes can be investigated through liquid biopsy. They play fundamental roles in the biological mechanisms underpinning the metastatic cascade and provide clinical information that can be monitored in real time during the natural course of cancer. Some of these analytes (circulating tumor cells and extracellular vesicles) share a key feature: the presence of a phospholipid membrane that includes proteins, lipids and possibly nucleic acids. Most cell-to-cell and cell-to-matrix interactions are modulated by the cell membrane composition. To understand cancer progression, it is essential to describe how proteins, lipids and nucleic acids in the membrane influence these interactions in cancer cells. Therefore, assessing such interactions and the phospholipid membrane composition in different liquid biopsy analytes might be important for future diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. In this review, we briefly describe some of the most important surface components of circulating tumor cells and extracellular vesicles as well as their interactions, putting an emphasis on how they are involved in the different steps of the metastatic cascade and how they can be exploited by the different liquid biopsy technologies.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Taismara K. Garnica ◽  
Jéssika C. C. Lesbon ◽  
Ana C. F. C. M. Ávila ◽  
Arina L. Rochetti ◽  
Oscar R. S. Matiz ◽  
...  

AbstractLymphoma is the most common type of canine hematological malignancy where the multicentric (cMCL) form accounts for 75% of all cases. The standard treatment is the CHOP chemotherapy protocols that include cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone, where the majority of dogs achieve complete/partial response; however, it is very important to predict non-responsive cases to improve treatment and to develop new targeted therapies. Here we evaluate a liquid biopsy approach based on serum Small Extracellular Vesicles enriched for exosomes (SEVs) to predict cMCL chemotherapy response. Nineteen dogs at the end of the 19-week chemotherapy protocol (8 Complete Response and 11 Progressive Disease) were evaluated for serum SEVs size, concentration and screened for 95 oncomirs. PD patients had higher SEVs concentration at the diagnosis than CR patients (P = 0.034). The ROC curve was significant for SEVs concentration to predict the response to CHOP (AUC = 0.8011, P = 0.0287). A potential molecular signature based on oncomirs from SEVs (caf-miR-205, caf-miR-222, caf-mir-20a and caf-miR-93) is proposed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating the potential of a liquid biopsy based on SEVs and their miRNAs content to predict the outcome of chemotherapy for canine multicentric lymphomas.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier Mariscal ◽  
Tatyana Vagner ◽  
Minhyung Kim ◽  
Bo Zhou ◽  
Andrew Chin ◽  
...  

AbstractExtracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-enclosed particles that play an important role in cancer progression and have emerged as a promising source of circulating biomarkers. Protein S-acylation, also known as palmitoylation, has been proposed as a post-translational mechanism that modulates the dynamics of EV biogenesis and protein cargo sorting. However, technical challenges have limited large-scale profiling of the whole palmitoyl-proteins of EVs. We successfully employed a novel approach that combines low-background acyl-biotinyl exchange (LB-ABE) with label-free proteomics to analyze the palmitoyl proteome of large EVs (L-EVs) and small EVs (S-EVs) from prostate cancer cells. Here we report the first palmitoyl-protein signature of EVs, and demonstrate that L- and S-EVs harbor proteins associated with distinct biological processes and subcellular origin. We identified STEAP1, STEAP2, and ABBC4 as prostate cancer-specific palmitoyl proteins enriched in both EV populations in comparison with the originating cell lines. Importantly, the presence of the above proteins in EVs was significantly reduced upon inhibition of palmitoylation in the producing cells. These results suggest that palmitoylation may be involved in the differential sorting of proteins to distinct EV populations and allow for better detection of disease biomarkers.


2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (6_suppl) ◽  
pp. TPS400-TPS400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Triggiani ◽  
Lilia Bardoscia ◽  
Antonella Colosini ◽  
Simona Bernardi ◽  
Roberto Bresciani ◽  
...  

TPS400 Background: Oligometastatic prostate cancer (OPC) may represent the initial step of an unavoidable, rapid progression to a polymetastatic state, or the expression of a real oligometastatic phenotype related to a condition of stable disease for a long time. In the last scenario, stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) can be considered as a potentially curative treatment option for hormone-naïve OPC. We propose a prospective, explorative trail with the aim of identifying by liquid biopsy a molecular signature (genes or differential expression of miRNA), and related clonal evolution, underlying metastatic prostate cancer progression after a course of SBRT. Methods: Study population will be 30 adult, hormone-naïve OPC undergoing SBRT. Table 1 summarizes gene and miRNA panel for molecular analysis. For each patient, 15 ml of peripheral blood will be collected before and at the end of SBRT, every 3 months for the first year, then every 6 months until disease progression, when another blood sample will be collected in case of instrumental evidence of failure (using PET-Choline or CT-scan plus bone scintigraphy). 7.5 ml of peripheral blood will be centrifuged to separate sera and 7.5 ml of peripheral blood will be centrifuged to separate plasma from the other blood components, respectively. Sera and plasma will be stored at -20°C and centralized to CREA Laboratory at our Institution, then immediately processed for cell free DNA (cfDNA) and miRNA extraction for NGS of target genes (by Illumina platforms MiSeq and MiniSeq) and dPCR analysis. Study duration will be 36 months. This protocol has been written and will be conducted in agreement with either the Declaration of Helsinki and subsequent amendments and ICH Harmonized Tripartite Guideline for Good Clinical Practice, and has received approval of local Ethics Committee. Panel for analysis. [Table: see text]


Diagnostics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1065
Author(s):  
Jihane Khalife ◽  
James F. Sanchez ◽  
Flavia Pichiorri

Small extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a heterogenous group of lipid particles released by all cell types in physiological and pathological states. In hematological malignancies, tumor-derived EVs are critical players in mediating intercellular communications through the transfer of genetic materials and proteins between neoplastic cells themselves and to several components of the bone marrow microenvironment, rendering the latter a “stronger” niche supporting cancer cell proliferation, drug resistance, and escape from immune surveillance. In this context, the molecular cargoes of tumor-derived EVs reflect the nature and status of the cells of origin, making them specific therapeutic targets. Another important characteristic of EVs in hematological malignancies is their use as a potential “liquid biopsy” because of their high abundance in biofluids and their ability to protect their molecular cargoes from nuclease and protease degradation. Liquid biopsies are non-invasive blood tests that provide a molecular profiling clinical tool as an alternative method of disease stratification, especially in cancer patients where solid biopsies have limited accessibility. They offer accurate diagnoses and identify specific biomarkers for monitoring of disease progression and response to treatment. In this review, we will focus on the role of EVs in the most prevalent hematological malignancies, particularly on their prospective use as biomarkers in the context of liquid biopsies, as well as their molecular signature that identifies them as specific therapeutic targets for inhibiting cancer progression. We will also highlight their roles in modulating the immune response by acting as both immunosuppressors and activators of anti-tumor immunity.


2019 ◽  
Vol 47 ◽  
pp. 100647 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Helena Vasconcelos ◽  
Hugo R. Caires ◽  
Artūrs Ābols ◽  
Cristina P.R. Xavier ◽  
Aija Linē

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 319
Author(s):  
Hee Cheol Yang ◽  
Won Jong Rhee

Because cancers are heterogeneous, it is evident that multiplexed detection is required to achieve disease diagnosis with high accuracy and specificity. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been a subject of great interest as sources of novel biomarkers for cancer liquid biopsy. However, EVs are nano-sized particles that are difficult to handle; thus, it is necessary to develop a method that enables efficient and straightforward EV biomarker detection. In the present study, we developed a method for single step in situ detection of EV surface proteins and inner miRNAs simultaneously using a flow cytometer. CD63 antibody and molecular beacon-21 were investigated for multiplexed biomarker detection in normal and cancer EVs. A phospholipid-polymer-phospholipid conjugate was introduced to induce clustering of the EVs analyzed using nanoparticle tracking analysis, which enhanced the detection signals. As a result, the method could detect and distinguish cancer cell-derived EVs using a flow cytometer. Thus, single step in situ detection of multiple EV biomarkers using a flow cytometer can be applied as a simple, labor- and time-saving, non-invasive liquid biopsy for the diagnosis of various diseases, including cancer.


Membranes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 591
Author(s):  
Xin-Le Yap ◽  
Bayden Wood ◽  
Teng-Aik Ong ◽  
Jasmine Lim ◽  
Bey-Hing Goh ◽  
...  

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membranous nanoparticles naturally released from living cells which can be found in all types of body fluids. Recent studies found that cancer cells secreted EVs containing the unique set of biomolecules, which give rise to a distinctive absorbance spectrum representing its cancer type. In this study, we aimed to detect the medium EVs (200–300 nm) from the urine of prostate cancer patients using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and determine their association with cancer progression. EVs extracted from 53 urine samples from patients suspected of prostate cancer were analyzed and their FTIR spectra were preprocessed for analysis. Characterization of morphology, particle size and marker proteins confirmed that EVs were successfully isolated from urine samples. Principal component analysis (PCA) of the EV’s spectra showed the model could discriminate prostate cancer with a sensitivity of 59% and a specificity of 81%. The area under curve (AUC) of FTIR PCA model for prostate cancer detection in the cases with 4–20 ng/mL PSA was 0.7, while the AUC for PSA alone was 0.437, suggesting the analysis of urinary EVs described in this study may offer a novel strategy for the development of a noninvasive additional test for prostate cancer screening.


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 1160
Author(s):  
Giusi La Camera ◽  
Luca Gelsomino ◽  
Amanda Caruso ◽  
Salvatore Panza ◽  
Ines Barone ◽  
...  

Breast cancer is the most common solid malignancy diagnosed in females worldwide, and approximately 70% of these tumors express estrogen receptor α (ERα), the main biomarker of endocrine therapy. Unfortunately, despite the use of long-term anti-hormone adjuvant treatment, which has significantly reduced patient mortality, resistance to the endocrine treatments often develops, leading to disease recurrence and limiting clinical benefits. Emerging evidence indicates that extracellular vesicles (EVs), nanosized particles that are released by all cell types and responsible for local and systemic intercellular communications, might represent a newly identified mechanism underlying endocrine resistance. Unraveling the role of EVs, released by transformed cells during the tumor evolution under endocrine therapy, is still an open question in the cancer research area and the molecular mechanisms involved should be better defined to discover alternative therapeutic approaches to overcome resistance. In this review, we will provide an overview of recent findings on the involvement of EVs in sustaining hormonal resistance in breast cancer and discuss opportunities for their potential use as biomarkers to monitor the therapeutic response and disease progression.


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