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Muttiah B, Ng SL, Lokanathan Y, Ng MH, Law JX. Extracellular Vesicles in Breast Cancer: From Intercellular Communication to Therapeutic Opportunities. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:654. [PMID: 38794316 PMCID: PMC11125876 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16050654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer, a multifaceted and heterogeneous disease, poses significant challenges in terms of understanding its intricate resistance mechanisms and devising effective therapeutic strategies. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the intricate landscape of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the context of breast cancer, highlighting their diverse subtypes, biogenesis, and roles in intercellular communication within the tumour microenvironment (TME). The discussion spans various aspects, from EVs and stromal cells in breast cancer to their influence on angiogenesis, immune response, and chemoresistance. The impact of EV production in different culture systems, including two dimensional (2D), three dimensional (3D), and organoid models, is explored. Furthermore, this review delves into the therapeutic potential of EVs in breast cancer, presenting emerging strategies such as engineered EVs for gene delivery, nanoplatforms for targeted chemotherapy, and disrupting tumour derived EVs as a treatment approach. Understanding these complex interactions of EV within the breast cancer milieu is crucial for identifying resistance mechanisms and developing new therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barathan Muttiah
- Centre for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia; (Y.L.); (M.H.N.)
| | - Sook Luan Ng
- Department of Craniofacial Diagnostics and Biosciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia;
| | - Yogeswaran Lokanathan
- Centre for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia; (Y.L.); (M.H.N.)
| | - Min Hwei Ng
- Centre for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia; (Y.L.); (M.H.N.)
| | - Jia Xian Law
- Centre for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia; (Y.L.); (M.H.N.)
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Liu C, Yazdani N, Moran CS, Salomon C, Seneviratne CJ, Ivanovski S, Han P. Unveiling clinical applications of bacterial extracellular vesicles as natural nanomaterials in disease diagnosis and therapeutics. Acta Biomater 2024; 180:18-45. [PMID: 38641182 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2024.04.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
Bacterial extracellular vesicles (BEVs) are naturally occurring bioactive membrane-bound nanoparticles released by both gram-negative and gram-positive bacterial species, exhibiting a multifaceted role in mediating host-microbe interactions across various physiological conditions. Increasing evidence supports BEVs as essential mediators of cell-to-cell communicaiton, influencing bacterial pathogenicity, disease mechanisms, and modulating the host immune response. However, the extent to which these BEV-mediated actions can be leveraged to predict disease onset, guide treatment strategies, and determine clinical outcomes remains uncertain, particularly in terms of their clinical translation potentials. This review briefly describes BEV biogenesis and their internalisation by recipient cells and summarises methods for isolation and characterization, essential for understanding their composition and cargo. Further, it discusses the potential of biofluid-associated BEVs as biomarkers for various diseases, spanning both cancer and non-cancerous conditions. Following this, we outline the ongoing human clinical trials of using BEVs for vaccine development. In addition to disease diagnostics, this review explores the emerging research of using natural or engineered BEVs as smart nanomaterials for applications in anti-cancer therapy and bone regeneration. This discussion extends to key factors for unlocking the clinical potential of BEVs, such as standardization of BEV isolation and characterisation, as well as other hurdles in translating these findings to the clinical setting. We propose that addressing these hurdles through collaborative research efforts and well-designed clinical trials holds the key to fully harnessing the clinical potential of BEVs. As this field advances, this review suggests that BEV-based nanomedicine has the potential to revolutionize disease management, paving the way for innovative diagnosis, therapeutics, and personalized medicine approaches. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) from both host cells and bacteria serve as multifunctional biomaterials and are emerging in the fields of biomedicine, bioengineering, and biomaterials. However, the majority of current studies focus on host-derived EVs, leaving a gap in comprehensive research on bacteria-derived EVs (BEVs). Although BEVs offer an attractive option as nanomaterials for drug delivery systems, their unique nanostructure and easy-to-modify functions make them a potential method for disease diagnosis and treatment as well as vaccine development. Our work among the pioneering studies investigating the potential of BEVs as natural nanobiomaterials plays a crucial role in both understanding the development of diseases and therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun Liu
- The University of Queensland, School of Dentistry, Centre for Oralfacial Regeneration, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (COR3), Epigenetics Nanodiagnostic and Therapeutic Group, Brisbane, QLD 4006, Australia
| | - Negar Yazdani
- The University of Queensland, School of Dentistry, Centre for Oralfacial Regeneration, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (COR3), Epigenetics Nanodiagnostic and Therapeutic Group, Brisbane, QLD 4006, Australia
| | - Corey S Moran
- The University of Queensland, School of Dentistry, Centre for Oralfacial Regeneration, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (COR3), Epigenetics Nanodiagnostic and Therapeutic Group, Brisbane, QLD 4006, Australia
| | - Carlos Salomon
- Translational Extracellular Vesicles in Obstetrics and Gynae-Oncology Group, The University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4029 Australia
| | - Chaminda Jayampath Seneviratne
- The University of Queensland, School of Dentistry, Centre for Oralfacial Regeneration, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (COR3), Epigenetics Nanodiagnostic and Therapeutic Group, Brisbane, QLD 4006, Australia
| | - Sašo Ivanovski
- The University of Queensland, School of Dentistry, Centre for Oralfacial Regeneration, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (COR3), Epigenetics Nanodiagnostic and Therapeutic Group, Brisbane, QLD 4006, Australia.
| | - Pingping Han
- The University of Queensland, School of Dentistry, Centre for Oralfacial Regeneration, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (COR3), Epigenetics Nanodiagnostic and Therapeutic Group, Brisbane, QLD 4006, Australia.
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Yim KHW, Krzyzaniak O, Al Hrout A, Peacock B, Chahwan R. Assessing Extracellular Vesicles in Human Biofluids Using Flow-Based Analyzers. Adv Healthc Mater 2023; 12:e2301706. [PMID: 37800440 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202301706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are increasingly being analyzed by flow cytometry. Yet their minuscule size and low refractive index cause the scatter intensity of most EVs to fall below the detection limit of most flow cytometers. A new class of devices, known as spectral flow analyzers, are becoming standards in cell phenotyping studies, largely due to their unique capacity to detect a vast panel of markers with higher sensitivity for light scatter detection. Another class of devices, known as nano-analyzers, provides high-resolution detection of sub-micron-sized particles. Here, the EV phenotyping performance between the Aurora (Cytek) spectral cell analyzer and the NanoFCM (nFCM) nanoflow analyzer are compared. These two devices are specifically chosen given their lead in becoming gold standards in their respective fields. Immune cell-derived EVs remain poorly characterized despite their clinical potential. Therefore, B- and T-cell line-derived EVs and donor-matched human biofluid-derived EVs from plasma, urine, and saliva are used in combination with a panel of established immune markers for this comparative study. A comparative evaluation of both cytometry platforms is performed, discussing their potential and suitability for different applications. It is found that nFCM can accurately i) analyze small EVs (40-200 nm) matching the size accuracy of electron microscopy; ii) measure the concentration of a single EV particle per volume; iii) identify underrepresented EV marker subsets; and iv) provide co-localization of EV surface markers. It can also be shown that human sample biofluids have unique EV marker signatures that can have future clinical relevance. Finally, nFCM and Aurora have their unique strength, preferred fashion of data acquisition, and visualization to fit different research interests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Ho Wai Yim
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Zurich, 8057, Switzerland
| | - Olga Krzyzaniak
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Zurich, 8057, Switzerland
| | - Ala'a Al Hrout
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Zurich, 8057, Switzerland
| | - Ben Peacock
- NanoFCM, ltd., D6 Thane Rd, Nottingham, NG90 6BH, UK
| | - Richard Chahwan
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Zurich, 8057, Switzerland
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Wang J, Chen HC, Sheng Q, Dawson TR, Coffey RJ, Patton JG, Weaver AM, Shyr Y, Liu Q. Systematic Assessment of Small RNA Profiling in Human Extracellular Vesicles. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3446. [PMID: 37444556 PMCID: PMC10340377 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15133446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are produced and released by most cells and are now recognized to play a role in intercellular communication through the delivery of molecular cargo, including proteins, lipids, and RNA. Small RNA sequencing (small RNA-seq) has been widely used to characterize the small RNA content in EVs. However, there is a lack of a systematic assessment of the quality, technical biases, RNA composition, and RNA biotypes enrichment for small RNA profiling of EVs across cell types, biofluids, and conditions. METHODS We collected and reanalyzed small RNA-seq datasets for 2756 samples from 83 studies involving 55 with EVs only and 28 with both EVs and matched donor cells. We assessed their quality by the total number of reads after adapter trimming, the overall alignment rate to the host and non-host genomes, and the proportional abundance of total small RNA and specific biotypes, such as miRNA, tRNA, rRNA, and Y RNA. RESULTS We found that EV extraction methods varied in their reproducibility in isolating small RNAs, with effects on small RNA composition. Comparing proportional abundances of RNA biotypes between EVs and matched donor cells, we discovered that rRNA and tRNA fragments were relatively enriched, but miRNAs and snoRNA were depleted in EVs. Except for the export of eight miRNAs being context-independent, the selective release of most miRNAs into EVs was study-specific. CONCLUSION This work guides quality control and the selection of EV isolation methods and enhances the interpretation of small RNA contents and preferential loading in EVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; (J.W.); (H.-C.C.); (Q.S.)
- Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Hua-Chang Chen
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; (J.W.); (H.-C.C.); (Q.S.)
- Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Quanhu Sheng
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; (J.W.); (H.-C.C.); (Q.S.)
- Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - T. Renee Dawson
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; (T.R.D.); (R.J.C.); (A.M.W.)
- Center for Extracellular Vesicle Research, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Robert J. Coffey
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; (T.R.D.); (R.J.C.); (A.M.W.)
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - James G. Patton
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA;
| | - Alissa M. Weaver
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; (T.R.D.); (R.J.C.); (A.M.W.)
- Center for Extracellular Vesicle Research, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Yu Shyr
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; (J.W.); (H.-C.C.); (Q.S.)
- Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Qi Liu
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; (J.W.); (H.-C.C.); (Q.S.)
- Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
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Al Hrout A, Levesque MP, Chahwan R. Investigating the tumor-immune microenvironment through extracellular vesicles from frozen patient biopsies and 3D cultures. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1176175. [PMID: 37304281 PMCID: PMC10248017 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1176175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Melanomas are highly immunogenic tumors that have been shown to activate the immune response. Nonetheless, a significant portion of melanoma cases are either unresponsive to immunotherapy or relapsed due to acquired resistance. During melanomagenesis, melanoma and immune cells undergo immunomodulatory mechanisms that aid in immune resistance and evasion. The crosstalk within melanoma microenvironment is facilitated through the secretion of soluble factors, growth factors, cytokines, and chemokines. In addition, the release and uptake of secretory vesicles known as extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a key role in shaping the tumor microenvironment (TME). Melanoma-derived EVs have been implicated in immune suppression and escape, promoting tumor progression. In the context of cancer patients, EVs are usually isolated from biofluids such as serum, urine, and saliva. Nonetheless, this approach neglects the fact that biofluid-derived EVs reflect not only the tumor, but also include contributions from different organs and cell types. For that, isolating EVs from tissue samples allows for studying different cell populations resident at the tumor site, such as tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and their secreted EVs, which play a central anti-tumor role. Herein, we outline the first instance of a method for EV isolation from frozen tissue samples at high purity and sensitivity that can be easily reproduced without the need for complicated isolation methods. Our method of processing the tissue not only circumvents the need for hard-to-acquire freshly isolated tissue samples, but also preserves EV surface proteins which allows for multiplex surface markers profiling. Tissue-derived EVs provide insight into the physiological role of EVs enrichment at tumor sites, which can be overlooked when studying circulating EVs coming from different sources. Tissue-derived EVs could be further characterized in terms of their genomics and proteomics to identify possible mechanisms for regulating the TME. Additionally, identified markers could be correlated to overall patient survival and disease progression for prognostic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ala’a Al Hrout
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mitchell P. Levesque
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Richard Chahwan
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Albrecht M, Hummitzsch L, Rusch R, Heß K, Steinfath M, Cremer J, Lichte F, Fändrich F, Berndt R, Zitta K. Characterization of large extracellular vesicles (L-EV) derived from human regulatory macrophages (Mreg): novel mediators in wound healing and angiogenesis? J Transl Med 2023; 21:61. [PMID: 36717876 PMCID: PMC9887800 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-03900-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Large extracellular vesicles (L-EV) with a diameter between 1 and 10 µm are released by various cell types. L-EV contain and transport active molecules which are crucially involved in cell to cell communication. We have shown that secretory products of human regulatory macrophages (Mreg) bear pro-angiogenic potential in-vitro and our recent findings show that Mreg cultures also contain numerous large vesicular structures similar to L-EV with so far unknown characteristics and function. AIM OF THIS STUDY To characterize the nature of Mreg-derived L-EV (L-EVMreg) and to gain insights into their role in wound healing and angiogenesis. METHODS Mreg were differentiated using blood monocytes from healthy donors (N = 9) and L-EVMreg were isolated from culture supernatants by differential centrifugation. Characterization of L-EVMreg was performed by cell/vesicle analysis, brightfield/transmission electron microscopy (TEM), flow cytometry and proteome profiling arrays. The impact of L-EVMreg on wound healing and angiogenesis was evaluated by means of scratch and in-vitro tube formation assays. RESULTS Mreg and L-EVMreg show an average diameter of 13.73 ± 1.33 µm (volume: 1.45 ± 0.44 pl) and 7.47 ± 0.75 µm (volume: 0.22 ± 0.06 pl) respectively. Flow cytometry analyses revealed similarities between Mreg and L-EVMreg regarding their surface marker composition. However, compared to Mreg fewer L-EVMreg were positive for CD31 (P < 0.01), CD206 (P < 0.05), CD103 (P < 0.01) and CD45 (P < 0.05). Proteome profiling suggested that L-EVMreg contain abundant amounts of pro-angiogenic proteins (i.e. interleukin-8, platelet factor 4 and serpin E1). From a functional point of view L-EVMreg positively influenced in-vitro wound healing (P < 0.05) and several pro-angiogenic parameters in tube formation assays (all segment associated parameters, P < 0.05; number of meshes, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION L-EVMreg with regenerative and pro-angiogenic potential can be reproducibly isolated from in-vitro cultured human regulatory macrophages. We propose that L-EVMreg could represent a putative therapeutic option for the treatment of chronic wounds and ischemia-associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Albrecht
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein, Schwanenweg 21, 24105, Kiel, Germany.
| | - Lars Hummitzsch
- grid.412468.d0000 0004 0646 2097Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein, Schwanenweg 21, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Rene Rusch
- grid.412468.d0000 0004 0646 2097Clinic of Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - Katharina Heß
- grid.412468.d0000 0004 0646 2097Department of Pathology, University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - Markus Steinfath
- grid.412468.d0000 0004 0646 2097Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein, Schwanenweg 21, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Jochen Cremer
- grid.412468.d0000 0004 0646 2097Clinic of Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - Frank Lichte
- grid.9764.c0000 0001 2153 9986Department of Anatomy, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Fred Fändrich
- grid.412468.d0000 0004 0646 2097Clinic for Applied Cell Therapy, University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - Rouven Berndt
- grid.412468.d0000 0004 0646 2097Clinic of Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - Karina Zitta
- grid.412468.d0000 0004 0646 2097Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein, Schwanenweg 21, 24105 Kiel, Germany
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Gong X, Chi H, Strohmer DF, Teichmann AT, Xia Z, Wang Q. Exosomes: A potential tool for immunotherapy of ovarian cancer. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1089410. [PMID: 36741380 PMCID: PMC9889675 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1089410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is a malignant tumor of the female reproductive system, with a very poor prognosis and high mortality rates. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are the most common treatments for ovarian cancer, with unsatisfactory results. Exosomes are a subpopulation of extracellular vesicles, which have a diameter of approximately 30-100 nm and are secreted by many different types of cells in various body fluids. Exosomes are highly stable and are effective carriers of immunotherapeutic drugs. Recent studies have shown that exosomes are involved in various cellular responses in the tumor microenvironment, influencing the development and therapeutic efficacy of ovarian cancer, and exhibiting dual roles in inhibiting and promoting tumor development. Exosomes also contain a variety of genes related to ovarian cancer immunotherapy that could be potential biomarkers for ovarian cancer diagnosis and prognosis. Undoubtedly, exosomes have great therapeutic potential in the field of ovarian cancer immunotherapy. However, translation of this idea to the clinic has not occurred. Therefore, it is important to understand how exosomes could be used in ovarian cancer immunotherapy to regulate tumor progression. In this review, we summarize the biomarkers of exosomes in different body fluids related to immunotherapy in ovarian cancer and the potential mechanisms by which exosomes influence immunotherapeutic response. We also discuss the prospects for clinical application of exosome-based immunotherapy in ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hao Chi
- Clinical Medical College, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Dorothee Franziska Strohmer
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Alexander Tobias Teichmann
- Sichuan Provincial Center for Gynecology and Breast Diseases (Gynecology), Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Zhijia Xia
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany,*Correspondence: Zhijia Xia, ; Qin Wang,
| | - Qin Wang
- Sichuan Provincial Center for Gynecology and Breast Diseases (Gynecology), Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China,*Correspondence: Zhijia Xia, ; Qin Wang,
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Vikramdeo KS, Anand S, Khan MA, Khushman M, Heslin MJ, Singh S, Singh AP, Dasgupta S. Detection of mitochondrial DNA mutations in circulating mitochondria-originated extracellular vesicles for potential diagnostic applications in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18455. [PMID: 36323735 PMCID: PMC9630429 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22006-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a complete lack of highly sensitive and specific biomarkers for early pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) diagnosis, limiting multi-modal therapeutic options. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is an excellent resource for biomarker discovery because of its high copy number and increased mutational frequency in cancer cells. We examined if mtDNA mutations can be detected in circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs) of PDAC patients and used for discerning between cancer and non-cancer subjects. A greater yield of circulating EVs (~ 1.4 fold; p = 0.002) was obtained in PDAC patients (n = 20) than non-cancer (NC) individuals (n = 10). PDAC-EVs contained a higher quantity of total DNA (~ 5.5 folds; p = 0.0001) than NC-EVs and had greater enrichment of mtDNA (~ 14.02-fold; p = 0.0001). PDAC-EVs also had higher levels of cardiolipin (a mitochondrial inner-membrane phospholipid), suggestive of their mitochondrial origin. All mtDNA mutations in PDAC-EVs were unique and frequency was remarkably higher. Most mtDNA mutations (41.5%) in PDAC-EVs were in the respiratory complex-I (RCI) (ND1-ND6), followed by the RCIII gene (CYTB; 11.2%). Among the non-coding genes, D-Loop and RNR2 exhibited the most mutations (15.2% each). Altogether, our study establishes, for the first time, that mtDNA mutations can be detected in circulating EVs and potentially serve as a tool for reliable PDAC diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunwar Somesh Vikramdeo
- Cancer Biology Program, Department of Pathology, Mitchell Cancer Institute, College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, 1660 Springhill Avenue, Mobile, AL, 36604, USA
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, 36617, USA
| | - Shashi Anand
- Cancer Biology Program, Department of Pathology, Mitchell Cancer Institute, College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, 1660 Springhill Avenue, Mobile, AL, 36604, USA
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, 36617, USA
| | - Mohammad Aslam Khan
- Cancer Biology Program, Department of Pathology, Mitchell Cancer Institute, College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, 1660 Springhill Avenue, Mobile, AL, 36604, USA
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, 36617, USA
| | - Moh'd Khushman
- Department of Medical Oncology, Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, 36604, USA
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Martin J Heslin
- Cancer Biology Program, Department of Pathology, Mitchell Cancer Institute, College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, 1660 Springhill Avenue, Mobile, AL, 36604, USA
| | - Seema Singh
- Cancer Biology Program, Department of Pathology, Mitchell Cancer Institute, College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, 1660 Springhill Avenue, Mobile, AL, 36604, USA
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, 36617, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, 36688, USA
| | - Ajay Pratap Singh
- Cancer Biology Program, Department of Pathology, Mitchell Cancer Institute, College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, 1660 Springhill Avenue, Mobile, AL, 36604, USA.
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, 36617, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, 36688, USA.
| | - Santanu Dasgupta
- Cancer Biology Program, Department of Pathology, Mitchell Cancer Institute, College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, 1660 Springhill Avenue, Mobile, AL, 36604, USA.
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, 36617, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, 36688, USA.
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Al Hrout A, Cervantes-Gracia K, Chahwan R, Amin A. Modelling liver cancer microenvironment using a novel 3D culture system. Sci Rep 2022; 12:8003. [PMID: 35568708 PMCID: PMC9107483 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11641-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment and its contribution to tumorigenesis has been a focal highlight in recent years. A two-way communication between the tumor and the surrounding microenvironment sustains and contributes to the growth and metastasis of tumors. Progression and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been reported to be exceedingly influenced by diverse microenvironmental cues. In this study, we present a 3D-culture model of liver cancer to better mimic in vivo tumor settings. By creating novel 3D co-culture model that combines free-floating and scaffold-based 3D-culture techniques of liver cancer cells and fibroblasts, we aimed to establish a simple albeit reproducible ex vivo cancer microenvironment model that captures tumor-stroma interactions. The model presented herein exhibited unique gene expression and protein expression profiles when compared to 2D and 3D mono-cultures of liver cancer cells. Our results showed that in vivo like conditions cannot be mimicked by simply growing cancer cells as spheroids, but by co-culturing them with 3D fibroblast with which they were able to crosstalk. This was evident by the upregulation of several pathways involved in HCC, and the increase in secreted factors by co-cultured cancer cells, many of which are also involved in tumor-stroma interactions. Compared to the conventional 2D culture, the proposed model exhibits an increase in the expression of genes associated with development, progression, and poor prognosis of HCC. Our results correlated with an aggressive outcome that better mirrors in vivo HCC, and therefore, a more reliable platform for molecular understanding of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ala'a Al Hrout
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
- Biology Department, College of Science, UAE University, P.O. Box 15551, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Karla Cervantes-Gracia
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Richard Chahwan
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Amr Amin
- Biology Department, College of Science, UAE University, P.O. Box 15551, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates.
- The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
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10
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Yim KHW, Borgoni S, Chahwan R. Serum extracellular vesicles profiling is associated with COVID-19 progression and immune responses. JOURNAL OF EXTRACELLULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 1:e37. [PMID: 35574251 PMCID: PMC9088353 DOI: 10.1002/jex2.37] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) has transformed very quickly into a world pandemic with severe and unexpected consequences on human health. Concerted efforts to generate better diagnostic and prognostic tools have been ongoing. Research, thus far, has primarily focused on the virus itself or the direct immune response to it. Here, we propose extracellular vesicles (EVs) from serum liquid biopsies as a new and unique modality to unify diagnostic and prognostic tools for COVID‐19 analyses. EVs are a novel player in intercellular signalling particularly influencing immune responses. We herein show that innate and adaptive immune EVs profiling, together with SARS‐CoV‐2 Spike S1+ EVs provide a novel signature for SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. It also provides a unique ability to associate the co‐existence of viral and host cell signatures to monitor affected tissues and severity of the disease progression. And provide a phenotypic insight into COVID‐associated EVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Ho Wai Yim
- Institute of Experimental Immunology University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Simone Borgoni
- Institute of Experimental Immunology University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Richard Chahwan
- Institute of Experimental Immunology University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
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11
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Chiozzini C, Ridolfi B, Federico M. Extracellular Vesicles and Their Use as Vehicles of Immunogens. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2504:177-198. [PMID: 35467287 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2341-1_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Healthy cells constitutively release lipid bilayered vesicles of different sizes and recognizing different biogenesis, collectively referred to as extracellular vesicles (EVs). EVs can be distinguished in exosomes and microvesicles. Biological and biomedical research on EVs is an emerging field that is rapidly growing. Many EV features including biogenesis, cell uptake, and functions still require unambiguous elucidation. Nevertheless, it has been well established that EVs are involved in communication among cells, tissues, and organs under both healthy and disease conditions by virtue of their ability to deliver macromolecules to target cells. Here, we summarize most recent findings regarding biogenesis, structure, and functions of both exosomes and microvesicles. In addition, the use of EVs as delivery tools to induce CD8+ T cell immunity is addressed compared to current designs exploiting enveloped viral vectors and virus-like particles. Finally, we describe a both safe and original approach conceived for the induction of strong CTL immunity against antigens uploaded in EVs constitutively released by muscle cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Chiozzini
- National Center for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Rome, Italy.
| | - Barbara Ridolfi
- National Center for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Rome, Italy
| | - Maurizio Federico
- National Center for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Rome, Italy
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