Exosomes isolated from CAPS1‑overexpressing colorectal cancer cells promote cell migration

Identification of Curcumin Targets in the Brain of Epileptic Mice Using DARTS

Curcumin, a compound derived from turmeric, is traditionally utilized in East Asian medicine for treating various health conditions, including epilepsy. Despite its involvement in numerous cellular signaling pathways, the specific mechanisms and targets of curcumin in epilepsy treatment have remained unclear. Our study focused on identifying the primary targets and functional pathways of curcumin in the brains of epileptic mice. Using drug affinity responsive target stabilization (DARTS) and affinity chromatography, we identified key targets in the mouse brain, revealing 232 and 70 potential curcumin targets, respectively. Bioinformatics analysis revealed a strong association of these proteins with focal adhesions and cytoskeletal components. Further experiments using DARTS, along with immunofluorescence staining and cell migration assays, confirmed curcumin's ability to regulate the dynamics of focal adhesions and influence cell migration. This study not only advances our understanding of curcumin's role in epilepsy treatment but also serves as a model for identifying therapeutic targets in neurological disorders.

The multifaceted role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in colorectal cancer: metastasis, immune suppression, therapy resistance, and autophagy crosstalk

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid bilayer structures released by all cells and widely distributed in all biological fluids. EVs are implicated in diverse physiopathological processes by orchestrating cell-cell communication. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide, with metastasis being the leading cause of mortality in CRC patients. EVs contribute significantly to the advancement and spread of CRC by transferring their cargo, which includes lipids, proteins, RNAs, and DNAs, to neighboring or distant cells. Besides, they can serve as non-invasive diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for early detection of CRC or be harnessed as effective carriers for delivering therapeutic agents. Autophagy is an essential cellular process that serves to remove damaged proteins and organelles by lysosomal degradation to maintain cellular homeostasis. Autophagy and EV release are coordinately activated in tumor cells and share common factors and regulatory mechanisms. Although the significance of autophagy and EVs in cancer is well established, the exact mechanism of their interplay in tumor development is obscure. This review focuses on examining the specific functions of EVs in various aspects of CRC, including progression, metastasis, immune regulation, and therapy resistance. Further, we overview emerging discoveries relevant to autophagy and EVs crosstalk in CRC.

Function and mechanism of exosomes derived from different cells as communication mediators in colorectal cancer metastasis

Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks as the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality, with metastasis being the primary determinant of poor prognosis in patients. Investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying CRC metastasis is currently a prominent and challenging area of research. Exosomes, as crucial intercellular communication mediators, facilitate the transfer of metabolic and genetic information from cells of origin to recipient cells. Their roles in mediating information exchange between CRC cells and immune cells, fibroblasts, and other cell types are pivotal in reshaping the tumor microenvironment, regulating key biological processes such as invasion, migration, and formation of pre-metastatic niche. This article comprehensively examines the communication function and mechanism of exosomes derived from different cells in cancer metastasis, while also presenting an outlook on current research advancements and future application prospects. The aim is to offer a distinctive perspective that contributes to accurate diagnosis and rational treatment strategies for CRC.

Exosomal non-coding RNAs: Blueprint in colorectal cancer metastasis and therapeutic targets

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is ranked as the world's third-most prevalent cancer, and metastatic CRC considerably increases cancer-related fatalities globally. A number of complex mechanisms that are strictly controlled at the molecular level are involved in metastasis, which is the primary reason for death in people with CRC. Recently, it has become clear that exosomes, which are small extracellular vesicles released by non-tumorous and tumorigenic cells, play a critical role as communication mediators among tumor microenvironment (TME). To facilitate communication between the TME and cancer cells, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play a crucial role and are recognized as potent regulators of gene expression and cellular processes, such as metastasis and drug resistance. NcRNAs are now recognized as potent regulators of gene expression and many hallmarks of cancer, including metastasis. Exosomal ncRNAs, like miRNAs, circRNAs, and lncRNAs, have been demonstrated to influence a number of cellular mechanisms that contribute to CRC metastasis. However, the molecular mechanisms that link exosomal ncRNAs with CRC metastasis are not well understood. This review highlights the essential roles that exosomal ncRNAs play in the progression of CRC metastatic disease and explores the therapeutic choices that are open to patients who have CRC metastases. However, exosomal ncRNA treatment strategy development is still in its early phases; consequently, additional investigation is required to improve delivery methods and find novel therapeutic targets as well as confirm the effectiveness and safety of these therapies in preclinical and clinical contexts.

Ciliary intrinsic mechanisms regulate dynamic ciliary extracellular vesicle release from sensory neurons

Cilia-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) contain signaling proteins and act in intercellular communication. Polycystin-2 (PKD-2), a transient receptor potential channel, is a conserved ciliary EVs cargo. Caenorhabditis elegans serves as a model for studying ciliary EV biogenesis and function. C. elegans males release EVs in a mechanically-induced manner and deposit PKD-2-labeled EVs onto the hermaphrodite vulva during mating, suggesting an active release process. Here, we study the dynamics of ciliary EV release using time-lapse imaging and find that cilia can sustain the release of PKD-2-labeled EVs for a two-hour duration. Intriguingly, this extended release doesn't require neuronal synaptic transmission. Instead, ciliary intrinsic mechanisms regulate PKD-2 ciliary membrane replenishment and dynamic EV release. The ciliary kinesin-3 motor KLP-6 is necessary for both initial and extended ciliary EV release, while the transition zone protein NPHP-4 is required only for sustained EV release. The dihydroceramide desaturase DEGS1/2 ortholog TTM-5 is highly expressed in the EV-releasing sensory neurons, localizes to cilia, and is required for sustained but not initial ciliary EV release, implicating ceramide in ciliary ectocytosis. The study offers a comprehensive portrait of real-time ciliary EV release, and mechanisms supporting cilia as proficient EV release platforms.

Exosomal MicroRNA Analyses in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cell Lines

Exosomal miRNAs have been studied in various cancers as minimally invasive biomarkers. This study aimed to investigate the potential of exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) as biomarkers for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Exosomes were isolated from cultures of esophageal epithelial cell and ESCC cell lines using ExoDisc, and exosomal miRNAs were detected via miRNA sequencing. Of the differentially expressed 14 miRNAs, the top 2 up-regulated miRNAs (miR-205-5p and miR-429) and top 2 down-regulated miRNAs (miR-375-3p and miR-483-3p) were selected as ESCC target miRNAs. Four selected exosomal miRNAs were validated in the plasma of 20 healthy controls (HCs) and 40 ESCC patients via quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The expression of plasma exosomal miR-205-5p and miR-429 significantly increased, while that of plasma exosomal miR-375-3p was significantly reduced in ESCC patients compared to that in HCs. At cut-off values of 5.04, 2.564, and 0.136, the sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of ESCC were 72.5% and 70.0% for miR-205-5p, 60.0% and 60.0% for miR-429, and 65.0% and 65.0% for miR-375-3p, respectively. Based on the exosomal miRNAs identified in ESCC cell lines, our study demonstrated that plasma exosomal miR-205-5p, miR-429, and miR-375-3p could serve as potential biomarkers for ESCC diagnosis.

Emerging roles of exosome-derived biomarkers in cancer theranostics: messages from novel protein targets

Effective biomarkers that guide therapeutics with limited adverse effects, have emerged as attractive research topics in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Cancer-derived exosomes, a type of extracellular vesicles representing molecular signatures of cells of origin, could serve as stable reservoirs for potential biomarkers (i.e., proteins, nucleic acids) in non-invasive cancer diagnosis and prognosis. In this review, the physiological and pathological roles of exosomes and their protein components in facilitating tumorigenesis are highlighted. Exosomes carrying proteins can participate in tumor development and progression through multiple signaling pathways, including EMT, invasion and metastasis. Meanwhile, the practical applications of exosomal proteins in detecting and monitoring several solid-tumor cancers (including lung, breast, pancreatic, colorectal and prostate cancers) were also summarized. More clinically relevant, exosomal proteins play pivotal roles in transmitting oncogenic potential or resistance to therapies in recipient cells, which might further support therapeutic strategy determinations.

Investigation of the effects of overexpression of jumping translocation breakpoint (JTB) protein in MCF7 cells for potential use as a biomarker in breast cancer

Jumping translocation breakpoint (JTB) gene acts as a tumor suppressor or an oncogene in different malignancies, including breast cancer (BC), where it was reported as overexpressed. However, the molecular functions, biological processes and underlying mechanisms through which JTB protein causes increased cell growth, proliferation and invasion is still not fully deciphered. Our goal is to identify the functions of JTB protein by cellular proteomics approaches. MCF7 breast cancer cells were transfected with sense orientation of hJTB cDNA in HA, His and FLAG tagged CMV expression vector to overexpress hJTB and the expression levels were confirmed by Western blotting (WB). Proteins extracted from transfected cells were separated by SDS-PAGE and the in-gel digested peptides were analyzed by nano-liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (nanoLC-MS/MS). By comparing the proteome of cells with upregulated conditions of JTB vs control and identifying the protein dysregulation patterns, we aim to understand the function of this protein and its contribution to tumorigenesis. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) algorithm was performed to investigate the biological processes and pathways that are associated with the JTB protein upregulation. The results demonstrated four significantly enriched gene sets from the following significantly upregulated pathways: mitotic spindle assembly, estrogen response late, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and estrogen response early. JTB protein itself is involved in mitotic spindle pathway by its role in cell division/cytokinesis, and within estrogen response early and late pathways, contributing to discrimination between luminal and mesenchymal breast cancer. Thus, the overexpressed JTB condition was significantly associated with an increased expression of ACTNs, FLNA, FLNB, EZR, MYOF, COL3A1, COL11A1, HSPA1A, HSP90A, WDR, EPPK1, FASN and FOXA1 proteins related to deregulation of cytoskeletal organization and biogenesis, mitotic spindle organization, ECM remodeling, cellular response to estrogen, proliferation, migration, metastasis, increased lipid biogenesis, endocrine therapy resistance, antiapoptosis and discrimination between different breast cancer subtypes. Other upregulated proteins for overexpressed JTB condition are involved in multiple cellular functions and pathways that become dysregulated, such as tumor microenvironment (TME) acidification, the transmembrane transport pathways, glycolytic flux, iron metabolism and oxidative stress, metabolic reprogramming, nucleocytosolic mRNA transport, transcriptional activation, chromatin remodeling, modulation of cell death pathways, stress responsive pathways, and cancer drug resistance. The downregulated proteins for overexpressed JTB condition are involved in adaptive communication between external and internal environment of cells and maintenance between pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic signaling pathways, vesicle trafficking and secretion, DNA lesions repair and suppression of genes involved in tumor progression, proteostasis, redox state regulation, biosynthesis of macromolecules, lipolytic pathway, carbohydrate metabolism, dysregulation of ubiquitin-mediated degradation system, cancer cell immune escape, cell-to-cell and cell-to-ECM interactions, and cytoskeletal behaviour. There were no significantly enriched downregulated pathways.

Emerging roles of mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes in gastrointestinal cancers

Gastrointestinal tumours are the most common solid tumours, with a poor prognosis and remain a major challenge in cancer treatment. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are multipotent stromal cells with the potential to differentiate into multiple cell types. Several studies have shown that MSC-derived exosomes have become essential regulators of intercellular communication in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. Notably, MSC-derived exosomes support or inhibit tumour progression in different cancers through the delivery of proteins, RNA, DNA, and bioactive lipids. Herein, we summarise current advances in MSC-derived exosomes in cancer research, with particular reference to their role in gastrointestinal tumour development. MSC-derived exosomes are expected to be a novel potential strategy for the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers.

Exosomal Components and Modulators in Colorectal Cancer: Novel Diagnosis and Prognosis Biomarkers

The relatively high incidence and mortality rates for colorectal carcinoma (CRC) make it a formidable malignant tumor. Comprehensive strategies have been applied to predict patient survival and diagnosis. Various clinical regimens have also been developed to improve the therapeutic outcome. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are recently proposed cellular structures that can be produced by natural or artificial methods and have been extensively studied. In addition to their innate functions, EVs can be manipulated to be drug carriers and exert many biological functions. The composition of EVs, their intravesicular components, and the surrounding tumor microenvironment are closely related to the development of colorectal cancer. Determining the expression profiles of exocytosis samples and using them as indicators for selecting effective combination therapy is an indispensable direction for EV study and should be regarded as a novel prediction platform in addition to cancer stage, prognosis, and other clinical assessments. In this review, we summarize the function, regulation, and application of EVs in the colon cancer research field. We provide an update on and discuss potential values for clinical applications of EVs. Moreover, we illustrate the specific markers, mediators, and genetic alterations of EVs in colorectal carcinogenesis. Furthermore, we outline the vital markers present in the EVs and discuss their plausible uses in colon cancer patient therapy in combination with the currently used clinical strategies. The development and application of these EVs will significantly improve the accuracy of diagnosis, lead to more precise prognoses, and may lead to the improved treatment of colorectal cancer.

Extracellular Vesicles as Mediators of Cancer Disease and as Nanosystems in Theranostic Applications

Cancer remains a leading cause of death worldwide despite decades of intense efforts to understand the molecular underpinnings of the disease. To date, much of the focus in research has been on the cancer cells themselves and how they acquire specific traits during disease development and progression. However, these cells are known to secrete large numbers of extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are now becoming recognized as key players in cancer. EVs contain a large number of different molecules, including but not limited to proteins, mRNAs, and miRNAs, and they are actively secreted by many different cell types. In the last two decades, a considerable body of evidence has become available indicating that EVs play a very active role in cell communication. Cancer cells are heterogeneous, and recent evidence reveals that cancer cell-derived EV cargos can change the behavior of target cells. For instance, more aggressive cancer cells can transfer their "traits" to less aggressive cancer cells and convert them into more malignant tumor cells or, alternatively, eliminate those cells in a process referred to as "cell competition". This review discusses how EVs participate in the multistep acquisition of specific traits developed by tumor cells, which are referred to as "the hallmarks of cancer" defined by Hanahan and Weinberg. Moreover, as will be discussed, EVs play an important role in drug resistance, and these more recent advances may explain, at least in part, why pharmacological therapies are often ineffective. Finally, we discuss literature proposing the use of EVs for therapeutic and prognostic purposes in cancer.

Nipping disease in the bud: nSMase2 inhibitors as therapeutics in extracellular vesicle-mediated diseases

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are indispensable mediators of intercellular communication, but they can also assume a nefarious role by ferrying pathological cargo that contributes to neurological, oncological, inflammatory, and infectious diseases. The canonical pathway for generating EVs involves the endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRT) machinery, but an alternative pathway is induced by the enrichment of lipid membrane ceramides generated by neutral sphingomyelinase 2 (nSMase2). Inhibition of nSMase2 has become an attractive therapeutic strategy for inhibiting EV biogenesis, and a growing number of small-molecule nSMase2 inhibitors have shown promising therapeutic activity in preclinical disease models. This review outlines the function of EVs, their potential role in disease, the discovery and efficacy of nSMase2 inhibitors, and the path to translate these findings into therapeutics.

Exosomes and Their Role in Cancer Progression

Exosomes from extracellular vesicles can activate or inhibit various signaling pathways by transporting proteins, lipids, nucleic acids and other substances to recipient cells. In addition, exosomes are considered to be involved in the development and progression of tumors from different tissue sources in numerous ways, including remodeling of the tumor microenvironment, promoting angiogenesis, metastasis, and invasion, and regulating the immune escape of tumor cells. However, the precise molecular mechanisms by which exosomes participate in these different processes remains unclear. In this review, we describe the research progress of tumor cell-derived exosomes in cancer progression. We also discuss the prospects of the application of exosomes combined with nanoengineered chemotherapeutic drugs in the treatment of cancer.

Epithelial Membrane Protein 2 Suppresses Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cell Growth by Inhibition of MAPK Pathway

Epithelial membrane proteins (EMP1-3) are involved in epithelial differentiation and carcinogenesis. Dysregulated expression of EMP2 was observed in various cancers, but its role in human lung cancer is not yet clarified. In this study, we analyzed the expression of EMP1-3 and investigated the biological function of EMP2 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The results showed that lower expression of EMP1 was significantly correlated with tumor size in primary lung tumors (p = 0.004). Overexpression of EMP2 suppressed tumor cell growth, migration, and invasion, resulting in a G1 cell cycle arrest, with knockdown of EMP2 leading to enhanced cell migration, related to MAPK pathway alterations and disruption of cell cycle regulatory genes. Exosomes isolated from transfected cells were taken up by tumor cells, carrying EMP2-downregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) which participated in regulation of the tumor microenvironment. Our data suggest that decreased EMP1 expression is significantly related to increased tumor size in NSCLC. EMP2 suppresses NSCLC cell growth mainly by inhibiting the MAPK pathway. EMP2 might further affect the tumor microenvironment by regulating tumor microenvironment-associated miRNAs.

Inhibition of αvβ3 integrin impairs adhesion and uptake of tumor-derived small extracellular vesicles

BACKGROUND

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid-bound particles that are naturally released from cells and mediate cell-cell communication. Integrin adhesion receptors are enriched in small EVs (SEVs) and SEV-carried integrins have been shown to promote cancer cell migration and to mediate organ-specific metastasis; however, how integrins mediate these effects is not entirely clear and could represent a combination of EV binding to extracellular matrix and cells.

METHODS

To probe integrin role in EVs binding and uptake, we employed a disintegrin inhibitor (DisBa-01) of integrin binding with specificity for αvβ3 integrin. EVs were purified from MDA-MB-231 cells conditioned media by serial centrifugation method. Isolated EVs were characterized by different techniques and further employed in adhesion, uptake and co-culture experiments.

RESULTS

We find that SEVs secreted from MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells carry αvβ3 integrin and bind directly to fibronectin-coated plates, which is inhibited by DisBa-01. SEV coating on tissue culture plates also induces adhesion of MDA-MB-231 cells, which is inhibited by DisBa-01 treatment. Analysis of EV uptake and interchange between cells reveals that the amount of CD63-positive EVs delivered from malignant MDA-MB-231 breast cells to non-malignant MCF10A breast epithelial cells is reduced by DisBa-01 treatment. Inhibition of αvβ3 integrin decreases CD63 expression in cancer cells suggesting an effect on SEV content.

CONCLUSION

In summary, our findings demonstrate for the first time a key role of αvβ3 integrin in cell-cell communication through SEVs. Video Abstract.

Exosome: A Review of Its Classification, Isolation Techniques, Storage, Diagnostic and Targeted Therapy Applications

Exosomes are nano-sized small extracellular vesicles secreted by cells, carrying nucleic acids, proteins, lipids and other bioactive substances to play a role in the body's physiological and pathological processes. Compared to synthetic carriers such as liposomes and nanoparticles, the endogeneity and heterogeneity of exosomes give them extensive and unique advantages in the field of disease diagnosis and treatment. However, the storage stability, low yield, low purity, and weak targeting of exosomes limit its clinical application. For this reason, further exploration is needed to optimize the above problems and facilitate future functional studies of exosomes. In this paper, the origin, classification, preparation and characterization, storage stability and applications of exosome delivery system are summarized and discussed by searching a large number of literatures.