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Teixeira-Marques A, Monteiro-Reis S, Montezuma D, Lourenço C, Oliveira MC, Constâncio V, Sequeira JP, Carvalho-Maia C, Freitas R, Martens-Uzunova ES, Vasconcelos MH, Henrique R, Jerónimo C. Improved recovery of urinary small extracellular vesicles by differential ultracentrifugation. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12267. [PMID: 38806574 PMCID: PMC11133306 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62783-9] [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: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid-membrane enclosed structures that are associated with several diseases, including those of genitourinary tract. Urine contains EVs derived from urinary tract cells. Owing to its non-invasive collection, urine represents a promising source of biomarkers for genitourinary disorders, including cancer. The most used method for urinary EVs separation is differential ultracentrifugation (UC), but current protocols lead to a significant loss of EVs hampering its efficiency. Moreover, UC protocols are labor-intensive, further limiting clinical application. Herein, we sought to optimize an UC protocol, reducing the time spent and improving small EVs (SEVs) yield. By testing different ultracentrifugation times at 200,000g to pellet SEVs, we found that 48 min and 60 min enabled increased SEVs recovery compared to 25 min. A step for pelleting large EVs (LEVs) was also evaluated and compared with filtering of the urine supernatant. We found that urine supernatant filtering resulted in a 1.7-fold increase on SEVs recovery, whereas washing steps resulted in a 0.5 fold-decrease on SEVs yield. Globally, the optimized UC protocol was shown to be more time efficient, recovering higher numbers of SEVs than Exoquick-TC (EXO). Furthermore, the optimized UC protocol preserved RNA quality and quantity, while reducing SEVs separation time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Teixeira-Marques
- Cancer Biology and Epigenetics Group, Research Center of IPO Porto (CI-IPOP)/CI-IPOP@RISE (Health Research Network), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto)/Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center Raquel Seruca (Porto.CCC), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
| | - Sara Monteiro-Reis
- Cancer Biology and Epigenetics Group, Research Center of IPO Porto (CI-IPOP)/CI-IPOP@RISE (Health Research Network), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto)/Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center Raquel Seruca (Porto.CCC), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
- INEGI-LAETA, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Campus FEUP, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 400, 4600-465, Porto, Portugal
| | - Diana Montezuma
- Cancer Biology and Epigenetics Group, Research Center of IPO Porto (CI-IPOP)/CI-IPOP@RISE (Health Research Network), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto)/Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center Raquel Seruca (Porto.CCC), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
- IMP Diagnostics, Praça do Bom Sucesso, 61, Sala 808, 4150-146, Porto, Portugal
- Doctoral Programme in Medical Sciences, ICBAS-School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences-University of Porto, R. Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
| | - Catarina Lourenço
- Cancer Biology and Epigenetics Group, Research Center of IPO Porto (CI-IPOP)/CI-IPOP@RISE (Health Research Network), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto)/Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center Raquel Seruca (Porto.CCC), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, R. Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
- Doctoral Programme in Biomedical Sciences, ICBAS-School Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, R. Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
| | - Miguel Carlos Oliveira
- Cancer Biology and Epigenetics Group, Research Center of IPO Porto (CI-IPOP)/CI-IPOP@RISE (Health Research Network), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto)/Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center Raquel Seruca (Porto.CCC), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
| | - Vera Constâncio
- Cancer Biology and Epigenetics Group, Research Center of IPO Porto (CI-IPOP)/CI-IPOP@RISE (Health Research Network), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto)/Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center Raquel Seruca (Porto.CCC), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
- Doctoral Programme in Biomedical Sciences, ICBAS-School Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, R. Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
| | - José Pedro Sequeira
- Cancer Biology and Epigenetics Group, Research Center of IPO Porto (CI-IPOP)/CI-IPOP@RISE (Health Research Network), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto)/Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center Raquel Seruca (Porto.CCC), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
- Doctoral Programme in Biomedical Sciences, ICBAS-School Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, R. Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
- Epigenomics Unit, Cancer Epigenomics, Translational Medical Oncology Group (ONCOMET), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), University Clinical Hospital of Santiago (CHUS/SERGAS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Carina Carvalho-Maia
- Cancer Biology and Epigenetics Group, Research Center of IPO Porto (CI-IPOP)/CI-IPOP@RISE (Health Research Network), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto)/Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center Raquel Seruca (Porto.CCC), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Pathology, Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
| | - Rui Freitas
- Cancer Biology and Epigenetics Group, Research Center of IPO Porto (CI-IPOP)/CI-IPOP@RISE (Health Research Network), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto)/Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center Raquel Seruca (Porto.CCC), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Urology, Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPOPorto), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
| | - Elena S Martens-Uzunova
- Department of Urology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Be-331, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - M Helena Vasconcelos
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, R. Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
- Cancer Drug Resistance Group, IPATIMUP-Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto, R. Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Biological Sciences, FFUP-Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, R. Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
| | - Rui Henrique
- Cancer Biology and Epigenetics Group, Research Center of IPO Porto (CI-IPOP)/CI-IPOP@RISE (Health Research Network), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto)/Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center Raquel Seruca (Porto.CCC), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Pathology, Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto (ICBAS-UP), R. Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
| | - Carmen Jerónimo
- Cancer Biology and Epigenetics Group, Research Center of IPO Porto (CI-IPOP)/CI-IPOP@RISE (Health Research Network), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto)/Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center Raquel Seruca (Porto.CCC), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal.
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto (ICBAS-UP), R. Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal.
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Tsiapalis D, Floudas A, Tertel T, Boerger V, Giebel B, Veale DJ, Fearon U, O’Driscoll L. Therapeutic Effects of Mesenchymal/Stromal Stem Cells and Their Derived Extracellular Vesicles in Rheumatoid Arthritis. Stem Cells Transl Med 2023; 12:849-862. [PMID: 37934808 PMCID: PMC10726408 DOI: 10.1093/stcltm/szad065] [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: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Currently available therapies for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are inadequate to alleviate the inflammation and reduce joint damage. While the immune-regulatory effect of human mesenchymal/stromal stem cells (MSCs) extracellular vesicles (EVs) has been tested in many inflammation-related diseases, little is known regarding their effect on patients with RA. Thus, we assessed the effect of human MSCs and MSC-EVs (from naïve or IFN-β-primed MSCs) on CD4+ T cells from patients with RA. Moreover, we investigated the effect of MSC-EVs on RA patients-derived synovial fibroblasts (FLS). MSC-EVs were prepared using a PEG precipitation followed by ultracentrifugation-based protocol. Applied to RA CD4+ T cells, EVs from IFN-β-primed MSCs, suppressed the expression of more key RA-associated cytokines (IL-4, GM-CSF IFN-γ, IL-2, TNF-α), and decreased CD4+ T-cell polyfunctionality than MSCs or EVs from naïve MSCs. MSCs mediated a slight decrease in the frequency of T-regulatory cells, while MSC-EVs rescued the frequency of T-regulatory cells. MSCs significantly inhibited CD4+ T-cell proliferation (P < .05), while no inhibition was observed in response to EV preparations. EVs from IFN-β-primed MSCs inhibited (P < .01) RA FLS migration and downregulated (P < .05) RA FLS surface markers CD34 and HLA-DR. Collectively, we demonstrated the immune-modulatory function of MSCs and their derived EVs in RA CD4+ T cells, which could be further enhanced by priming MSCs with IFN-β. Moreover, EVs from IFN-β-primed MSCs more efficiently inhibit RA FLS migration, and expression of RA FLS-related surface markers, suggesting these EVs as a potent therapy for RA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios Tsiapalis
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences & Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin and Trinity St. James’s Cancer Institute, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Achilleas Floudas
- Molecular Rheumatology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- EULAR Centre of Excellence, Centre for Arthritis and Rheumatic Diseases, St Vincent’s University Hospital, UCD, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Tobias Tertel
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Verena Boerger
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Bernd Giebel
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Douglas J Veale
- EULAR Centre of Excellence, Centre for Arthritis and Rheumatic Diseases, St Vincent’s University Hospital, UCD, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Ursula Fearon
- Molecular Rheumatology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- EULAR Centre of Excellence, Centre for Arthritis and Rheumatic Diseases, St Vincent’s University Hospital, UCD, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Lorraine O’Driscoll
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences & Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin and Trinity St. James’s Cancer Institute, Dublin, Ireland
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Darragh IAJ, McNamee N, Daly R, Pacheco SM, O'Driscoll L, Egan B. The separation and identification of circulating small extracellular vesicles from endurance-trained, strength-trained and recreationally active men. J Physiol 2023; 601:5075-5091. [PMID: 37725436 DOI: 10.1113/jp285170] [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: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Small extracellular vesicles (EV) are membrane-encapsulated particles that carry bioactive cargoes, are released by all cell types and are present in all human biofluids. Changes in EV profiles and abundance occur in response to acute exercise, but this study investigated whether individuals with divergent histories of exercise training (recreationally active controls - CON; endurance-trained - END; strength-trained - STR) presented with varied abundances of small EVs in resting samples and whether the abundance of small EVs differed within each group across two measurement days. Participants (n = 38, all male; CON n = 12, END n = 13, STR n = 13) arrived at the lab on two separate occasions in a rested, overnight fasted state, with standardisation of time of day of sampling, recent dietary intake, time since last meal and time since last exercise training session (∼40 h). Whole blood samples were collected and separated into plasma from which small EVs were separated using size exclusion chromatography and identified in accordance with the Minimal Information For Studies of Extracellular Vesicles (MISEV) guidelines. No differences in the abundance of small EVs were observed within or between groups across multiple methods of small EV identification (nanoparticle tracking analysis, flow cytometry, immunoblot of specific EV markers). Targeted metabolomics of the small EV preparations identified 96 metabolites that were associated with the structure and function of small EVs, with no statistically significant differences in concentrations observed across groups. The results of the current study suggest that the abundance and metabolomic profile of small EVs derived from men with divergent histories of exercise training are similar to those in resting blood samples. KEY POINTS: Extracellular vesicles (EV) are membrane-encapsulated particles that are present in circulation and carry bioactive materials as 'cargo'. The abundance and profile of small EVs are responsive to acute exercise, but little is known about the relationship between small EVs and exercise training. This study examined the abundance, and a targeted metabolomic profile, of small EVs separated from the blood of endurance athletes, strength athletes and recreationally active controls at rest (∼40 h after the most recent exercise session) on two separate but identical lab visits. No differences were observed in the abundance or metabolomic profile of small EV preparations between the groups or between the lab visits within each group. Further research should determine whether the bioactive cargoes (e.g. RNA, protein and additional metabolites) carried within EVs are altered in individuals with divergent histories of exercise training or in response to exercise training interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian A J Darragh
- School of Health and Human Performance, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Niamh McNamee
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Trinity St. James's Cancer Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Róisín Daly
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Trinity St. James's Cancer Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Sarai Martinez Pacheco
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Trinity St. James's Cancer Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Lorraine O'Driscoll
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Trinity St. James's Cancer Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Brendan Egan
- School of Health and Human Performance, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
- Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, Pensacola, Florida, USA
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Grillo E, Ravelli C, Colleluori G, D'Agostino F, Domenichini M, Giordano A, Mitola S. Role of gremlin-1 in the pathophysiology of the adipose tissues. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 2023; 69:51-60. [PMID: 36155165 DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2022.09.004] [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: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Gremlin-1 is a secreted bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) antagonist playing a pivotal role in the regulation of tissue formation and embryonic development. Since its first identification in 1997, gremlin-1 has been shown to be a multifunctional factor involved in wound healing, inflammation, cancer and tissue fibrosis. Among others, the activity of gremlin-1 is mediated by its interaction with BMPs or with membrane receptors such as the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) or heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs). Growing evidence has highlighted a central role of gremlin-1 in the homeostasis of the adipose tissue (AT). Of note, gremlin-1 is involved in AT dysfunction during type 2 diabetes, obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) metabolic disorders. In this review we discuss recent findings on gremlin-1 involvement in AT biology, with particular attention to its role in metabolic diseases, to highlight its potential as a prognostic marker and therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Grillo
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
| | - Cosetta Ravelli
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Georgia Colleluori
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Marche Polytechnic University, Via Tronto 10/A, 60020 Ancona, Italy
| | - Francesco D'Agostino
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Mattia Domenichini
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Antonio Giordano
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Marche Polytechnic University, Via Tronto 10/A, 60020 Ancona, Italy
| | - Stefania Mitola
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
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McNamee N, de la Fuente LR, Santos-Martinez MJ, O'Driscoll L. Proteomics profiling identifies extracellular vesicles' cargo associated with tumour cell induced platelet aggregation. BMC Cancer 2022; 22:1023. [PMID: 36171564 PMCID: PMC9520807 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-10068-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cancer patients have an increased risk of developing venous thromboembolism, with up to 30% dying within a month of their development. Some cancer cells are known to induce platelet aggregation, and this interaction is understood to contribute to thrombosis and haematogenous metastasis. Many researchers have reported on extracellular vesicles (EVs) released from platelets. However, less is known about how cancer cells’ EVs may affect platelet function. Here EVs released by triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell line variants were extensively investigated in this regard. Methods EVs were separated from conditioned media of TNBC Hs578T and Hs578Ts(i)8 cells using filtration and ultracentrifugation and were characterised by nanoparticle tracking analysis, immunoblots, and transmission electron microscopy. Blood samples from consenting donors were procured, and their platelets collected by differential centrifugation. Light transmission aggregometry and optical microscopy evaluated the potential interaction of TNBC cells and their EVs with platelets. Global proteomic analysis was performed on the EVs, by in-solution digestion and mass spectrometry. Data analysis included the use of Perseus, FunRich, and Vesiclepedia. Immunoblotting was used as a secondary method to investigate some key EV cargo proteins identified by the global proteomics approach. Results Both TNBC cell variants induced platelet aggregation. Increasing cell numbers significantly reduced the time taken for platelet aggregation to occur. EVs released by the cells also resulted in platelet aggregation. The time to induce platelet aggregation was EV dose-dependent. Proteomics profiling and immunoblotting of the EVs’ cargo identified candidate proteins (including uPAR and PDGFRβ) that may be involved during this process. Conclusions TNBC cells induce platelet aggregation. Furthermore, the cell-free EVs induced this undesirable effect. A number of EV cargo proteins were identified that may be relevant as therapeutic targets. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-022-10068-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niamh McNamee
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,Trinity St. James's Cancer Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Laura Rodriguez de la Fuente
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Maria Jose Santos-Martinez
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Lorraine O'Driscoll
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland. .,Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland. .,Trinity St. James's Cancer Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
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Elemam NM, Malek AI, Mahmoud EE, El-Huneidi W, Talaat IM. Insights into the Role of Gremlin-1, a Bone Morphogenic Protein Antagonist, in Cancer Initiation and Progression. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10020301. [PMID: 35203511 PMCID: PMC8869528 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10020301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The bone morphogenic protein (BMP) antagonist Gremlin-1 is a biologically significant regulator known for its crucial role in tissue differentiation and embryonic development. Nevertheless, it has been reported that Gremlin-1 can exhibit its function through BMP dependent and independent pathways. Gremlin-1 has also been reported to be involved in organ fibrosis, which has been correlated to the development of other diseases, such as renal inflammation and diabetic nephropathy. Based on growing evidence, Gremlin-1 has recently been implicated in the initiation and progression of different types of cancers. Further, it contributes to the stemness state of cancer cells. Herein, we explore the recent findings on the role of Gremlin-1 in various cancer types, including breast, cervical, colorectal, and gastric cancers, as well as glioblastomas. Additionally, we highlighted the impact of Gremlin-1 on cellular processes and signaling pathways involved in carcinogenesis. Therefore, it was suggested that Gremlin-1 might be a promising prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noha Mousaad Elemam
- College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; (N.M.E.); (A.I.M.); (E.E.M.)
- Sharjah Institute for Medical Research, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Abdullah Imadeddin Malek
- College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; (N.M.E.); (A.I.M.); (E.E.M.)
| | - Esraa Elaraby Mahmoud
- College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; (N.M.E.); (A.I.M.); (E.E.M.)
| | - Waseem El-Huneidi
- College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; (N.M.E.); (A.I.M.); (E.E.M.)
- Sharjah Institute for Medical Research, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Correspondence: (W.E.-H.); (I.M.T.)
| | - Iman M. Talaat
- College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; (N.M.E.); (A.I.M.); (E.E.M.)
- Sharjah Institute for Medical Research, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21526, Egypt
- Correspondence: (W.E.-H.); (I.M.T.)
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