A novel phage display based platform for exosome diversity characterization

Peptide-based biosensing approaches for targeting breast cancer-derived exosomes

Exosomes are nanovesicles present in all the biological fluids, making them attractive as non-invasive biomarkers for diseases like cancer, among many others. However, exosomes are complex to separate and detect, requiring comprehensive molecular characterization for their routine use in diagnostics. This study explores the use of peptides as cost-effective and stable alternatives to antibodies for exosome binding. To achieve that, phage display technology was employed to select peptides with high specificity for target molecules in exosomes. Specifically, a selected peptide was evaluated for its ability to selectively bind breast cancer-derived exosomes. Proteomic analysis identified 38 protein candidates targeted by the peptide on exosome membranes. The binding of the peptide to breast cancer-derived exosomes was successfully demonstrated by flow cytometry and magneto-actuated immunoassays. Furthermore, an electrochemical biosensor was also tested for breast cancer-derived exosome detection and quantification. The peptide demonstrated effective binding to exosomes from aggressive cancer cell lines, offering promising results in terms of specificity and recovery. This research shows potential for developing rapid, accessible diagnostic tools for breast cancer, especially in low-resource healthcare settings.

Phage Display Technology in Biomarker Identification with Emphasis on Non-Cancerous Diseases

In recent years, phage display technology has become vital in clinical research. It helps create antibodies that can specifically bind to complex antigens, which is crucial for identifying biomarkers and improving diagnostics and treatments. However, existing reviews often overlook its importance in areas outside cancer research. This review aims to fill that gap by explaining the basics of phage display and its applications in detecting and treating various non-cancerous diseases. We focus especially on its role in degenerative diseases, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, and chronic non-communicable diseases, showing how it is changing the way we diagnose and treat illnesses. By highlighting important discoveries and future possibilities, we hope to emphasize the significance of phage display in modern healthcare.

Defining tropism and activity of natural and engineered extracellular vesicles

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have important roles as mediators of cell-to-cell communication, with physiological functions demonstrated in various in vivo models. Despite advances in our understanding of the biological function of EVs and their potential for use as therapeutics, there are limitations to the clinical approaches for which EVs would be effective. A primary determinant of the biodistribution of EVs is the profile of proteins and other factors on the surface of EVs that define the tropism of EVs in vivo. For example, proteins displayed on the surface of EVs can vary in composition by cell source of the EVs and the microenvironment into which EVs are delivered. In addition, interactions between EVs and recipient cells that determine uptake and endosomal escape in recipient cells affect overall systemic biodistribution. In this review, we discuss the contribution of the EV donor cell and the role of the microenvironment in determining EV tropism and thereby determining the uptake and biological activity of EVs.

Optimized procedure for high-throughput transcriptome profiling of small extracellular vesicles isolated from low volume serum samples

OBJECTIVES

Small extracellular vesicles (EVs) contain various signaling molecules, thus playing a crucial role in cell-to-cell communication and emerging as a promising source of biomarkers. However, the lack of standardized procedures impedes their translation to clinical practice. Thus, we compared different approaches for high-throughput analysis of small EVs transcriptome.

METHODS

Small EVs were isolated from 150 μL of serum. Quality and quantity were assessed by dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, and Western blot. Comparison of RNA extraction efficiency was performed, and expression of selected genes was analyzed by RT-qPCR. Whole transcriptome analysis was done using microarrays.

RESULTS

Obtained data confirmed the suitability of size exclusion chromatography for isolation of small EVs. Analyses of gene expression showed the best results in case of samples isolated by Monarch Total RNA Miniprep Kit. Totally, 7,182 transcripts were identified to be deregulated between colorectal cancer patients and healthy controls. The majority of them were non-coding RNAs with more than 70 % being lncRNAs, while protein-coding genes represented the second most common gene biotype.

CONCLUSIONS

We have optimized the protocol for isolation of small EVs and their RNA from low volume of sera and confirmed the suitability of Clariom D Pico Assays for transcriptome profiling.

Review of phage display: A jack-of-all-trades and master of most biomolecule display

Phage display was first described by George P. Smith when it was shown that virus particles were capable of presenting foreign proteins on their surface. The technology has paved the way for the evolution of various biomolecules presentation and diverse selection strategies. This unique feature has been applied as a versatile platform for numerous applications in drug discovery, protein engineering, diagnostics, and vaccine development. Over the decades, the limits of biomolecules displayed on phage particles have expanded from peptides to proteomes and even alternative scaffolds. This has allowed phage display to be viewed as a versatile display platform to accommodate various biomolecules ranging from small peptides to larger proteomes which has significantly impacted advancements in the biomedical industry. This review will explore the vast array of biomolecules that have been successfully employed in phage display technology in biomedical research.

Thermoresponsive M1 macrophage-derived hybrid nanovesicles for improved in vivo tumor targeting

Despite the efforts and advances done in the last few decades, cancer still remains one of the main leading causes of death worldwide. Nanomedicine and in particular extracellular vesicles are one of the most potent tools to improve the effectiveness of anticancer therapies. In these attempts, the aim of this work is to realize a hybrid nanosystem through the fusion between the M1 macrophages-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs-M1) and thermoresponsive liposomes, in order to obtain a drug delivery system able to exploit the intrinsic tumor targeting capability of immune cells reflected on EVs and thermoresponsiveness of synthetic nanovesicles. The obtained nanocarrier has been physicochemically characterized, and the hybridization process has been validated by cytofluorimetric analysis, while the thermoresponsiveness was in vitro confirmed through the use of a fluorescent probe. Tumor targeting features of hybrid nanovesicles were in vivo investigated on melanoma-induced mice model monitoring the accumulation in tumor site through live imaging and confirmed by cytofluorimetric analysis, showing higher targeting properties of hybrid nanosystem compared to both liposomes and native EVs. These promising results confirmed the ability of this nanosystem to combine the advantages of both nanotechnologies, also highlighting their potential use as effective and safe personalized anticancer nanomedicine.

Progress on Phage Display Technology: Tailoring Antibodies for Cancer Immunotherapy

The search for innovative anti-cancer drugs remains a challenge. Over the past three decades, antibodies have emerged as an essential asset in successful cancer therapy. The major obstacle in developing anti-cancer antibodies is the need for non-immunogenic antibodies against human antigens. This unique requirement highlights a disadvantage to using traditional hybridoma technology and thus demands alternative approaches, such as humanizing murine monoclonal antibodies. To overcome these hurdles, human monoclonal antibodies can be obtained directly from Phage Display libraries, a groundbreaking tool for antibody selection. These libraries consist of genetically engineered viruses, or phages, which can exhibit antibody fragments, such as scFv or Fab on their capsid. This innovation allows the in vitro selection of novel molecules directed towards cancer antigens. As foreseen when Phage Display was first described, nowadays, several Phage Display-derived antibodies have entered clinical settings or are undergoing clinical evaluation. This comprehensive review unveils the remarkable progress in this field and the possibilities of using clever strategies for phage selection and tailoring the refinement of antibodies aimed at increasingly specific targets. Moreover, the use of selected antibodies in cutting-edge formats is discussed, such as CAR (chimeric antigen receptor) in CAR T-cell therapy or ADC (antibody drug conjugate), amplifying the spectrum of potential therapeutic avenues.

SARS CoV-2 spike protein-guided exosome isolation facilitates detection of potential miRNA biomarkers in COVID-19 infections

OBJECTIVES

Nearly three years into the pandemic, SARS-CoV-2 infections are occurring in vaccinated and naturally infected populations. While humoral and cellular responses in COVID-19 are being characterized, novel immune biomarkers also being identified. Recently, an increase in angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 expressing (aka, ACE2 positive) circulating exosomes (ExoACE2) were identified in the plasma of COVID-19 patients (El-Shennawy et al.). In this pilot study, we describe a method to characterize the exosome-associated microRNA (exo-miRNA) signature in ACE2-positive and ACE2-negative exosomal populations (non-ExoACE2).

METHODS

We performed a sorting protocol using the recombinant biotin-conjugated SARS CoV-2 spike protein containing the receptor binding domain (RBD) on plasma samples from six patients. Following purification, exo-miRNA were characterized for ACE2-positive and ACE2-negative exosome subpopulations by RT-PCR.

RESULTS

We identified differential expression of several miRNA. Specifically let-7g-5p and hsa-miR-4454+miR-7975 were upregulated, while hsa-miR-208a-3p and has-miR-323-3p were downregulated in ExoACE2 vs. non-ExoACE2.

CONCLUSIONS

The SARS CoV-2 spike-protein guided exosome isolation permits isolation of ExoACE2 exosomes. Such purification facilitates detailed characterization of potential biomarkers (e.g. exo-miRNA) for COVID-19 patients. This method could be used for future studies to further the understanding mechanisms of host response against SARS CoV-2.

Molecular screening of head neck cancer

Liquid biopsy has become a significant tool in personalized medicine, enabling real-time monitoring of cancer evolution and patient follow-up. This minimally invasive procedure analyzes circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating tumor-derived materials, such as ctDNA, miRNAs, and EVs. CTC analysis significantly impacts prognosis, detection of minimal residual disease (MRD), treatment selection, and monitoring of cancer patients. Liquid biopsy is an attractive option for mouth cancer detection and treatment progress monitoring in many countries. It is not invasive and requires no surgical expertise, making it an attractive option for mouth cancer detection. Liquid biopsy is a diagnostic repeatable test that can profile cancer genomes in real-time with minimal invasiveness and tailor oncological decision-making. It analyzes different blood-circulating biomarkers, with ctDNA being the preferred one. While tissue biopsy remains the gold standard for molecular evaluation of solid tumors, liquid biopsy is a complementary tool in various clinical settings, including treatment selection, monitoring response, cancer clonal evolution, prognostic evaluation, early disease detection, and minimal residual disease (MRD).

The Role of Extracellular Vesicles in the Pathogenesis of Hematological Malignancies: Interaction with Tumor Microenvironment; a Potential Biomarker and Targeted Therapy

The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays an important role in the development and progression of hematological malignancies. In recent years, studies have focused on understanding how tumor cells communicate within the TME. In addition to several factors, such as growth factors, cytokines, extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules, etc., a growing body of evidence has indicated that extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a crucial role in the communication of tumor cells within the TME, thereby contributing to the pathogenesis of hematological malignancies. The present review focuses on how EVs derived from tumor cells interact with the cells in the TME, such as immune cells, stromal cells, endothelial cells, and ECM components, and vice versa, in the context of various hematological malignancies. EVs recovered from the body fluids of cancer patients often carry the bioactive molecules of the originating cells and hence can be considered new predictive biomarkers for specific types of cancer, thereby also acting as potential therapeutic targets. Here, we discuss how EVs influence hematological tumor progression via tumor-host crosstalk and their use as biomarkers for hematological malignancies, thereby benefiting the development of potential therapeutic targets.

Extracellular Vesicle-Based Drug Delivery Systems for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review

It is estimated that there are over 890,000 new cases of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) worldwide each year, accounting for approximately 5% of all cancer cases. Current treatment options for HNSCC often cause significant side effects and functional impairments, thus there is a challenge to discover more acceptable treatment technologies. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) can be utilized for HNSCC treatment in several ways, for example, for drug delivery, immune modulation, as biomarkers for diagnostics, gene therapy, or tumor microenvironment modulation. This systematic review summarizes new knowledge regarding these options. Articles published up to 11 December 2022, were identified by searching the electronic databases PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane. Only full-text original research papers written in English were considered eligible for analysis. The quality of studies was assessed using the Office of Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT) Risk of Bias Rating Tool for Human and Animal Studies, modified for the needs of this review. Of 436 identified records, 18 were eligible and included. It is important to note that the use of EVs as a treatment for HNSCC is still in the early stages of research, so we summarized information on challenges such as EV isolation, purification, and standardization of EV-based therapies in HNSCC.

Extracellular Vesicles as Drug Delivery Systems in Organ Transplantation: The Next Frontier

Extracellular vesicles are lipid bilayer-delimited nanoparticles excreted into the extracellular space by all cells. They carry a cargo rich in proteins, lipids and DNA, as well as a full complement of RNA species, which they deliver to recipient cells to induce downstream signalling, and they play a key role in many physiological and pathological processes. There is evidence that native and hybrid EVs may be used as effective drug delivery systems, with their intrinsic ability to protect and deliver a functional cargo by utilising endogenous cellular mechanisms making them attractive as therapeutics. Organ transplantation is the gold standard for treatment for suitable patients with end-stage organ failure. However, significant challenges still remain in organ transplantation; prevention of graft rejection requires heavy immunosuppression and the lack of donor organs results in a failure to meet demand, as manifested by growing waiting lists. Pre-clinical studies have demonstrated the ability of EVs to prevent rejection in transplantation and mitigate ischemia reperfusion injury in several disease models. The findings of this work have made clinical translation of EVs possible, with several clinical trials actively recruiting patients. However, there is much to be uncovered, and it is essential to understand the mechanisms behind the therapeutic benefits of EVs. Machine perfusion of isolated organs provides an unparalleled platform for the investigation of EV biology and the testing of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of EVs. This review classifies EVs and their biogenesis routes, and discusses the isolation and characterisation methods adopted by the international EV research community, before delving into what is known about EVs as drug delivery systems and why organ transplantation represents an ideal platform for their development as drug delivery systems.

Liquid Biopsies, Novel Approaches and Future Directions

Cancer is among the leading causes of death worldwide. Early diagnosis and prognosis are vital to improve patients' outcomes. The gold standard of tumor characterization leading to tumor diagnosis and prognosis is tissue biopsy. Amongst the constraints of tissue biopsy collection is the sampling frequency and the incomplete representation of the entire tumor bulk. Liquid biopsy approaches, including the analysis of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), circulating miRNAs, and tumor-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs), as well as certain protein signatures that are released in the circulation from primary tumors and their metastatic sites, present a promising and more potent candidate for patient diagnosis and follow up monitoring. The minimally invasive nature of liquid biopsies, allowing frequent collection, can be used in the monitoring of therapy response in real time, allowing the development of novel approaches in the therapeutic management of cancer patients. In this review we will describe recent advances in the field of liquid biopsy markers focusing on their advantages and disadvantages.

Modified Bacteriophage for Tumor Detection and Targeted Therapy

Malignant tumor is one of the leading causes of death in human beings. In recent years, bacteriophages (phages), a natural bacterial virus, have been genetically engineered for use as a probe for the detection of antigens that are highly expressed in tumor cells and as an anti-tumor reagent. Furthermore, phages can also be chemically modified and assembled with a variety of nanoparticles to form a new organic/inorganic composite, thus extending the application of phages in biological detection and tumor therapeutic. This review summarizes the studies on genetically engineered and chemically modified phages in the diagnosis and targeting therapy of tumors in recent years. We discuss the advantages and limitations of modified phages in practical applications and propose suitable application scenarios based on these modified phages.

Role of exosomes in non-small cell lung cancer and EGFR-mutated lung cancer

As an important mediator of information transfer between cells, exosomes play a unique role in regulating tumor growth, supporting vascular proliferation, tumor invasion, and metastasis. Exosomes are widely present in various body fluids, and therefore they can be used as a potential tool for non-invasive liquid biopsy. The present study reviews the role of exosomes in liquid biopsy, tumor microenvironment formation, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). By targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) therapy as a first-line treatment for patients with NSCLC, this study also briefly describes the occurrence of EGRF+ exosomes and the role of exosomes and their contents in non-invasive detection and potential therapeutic targets in EGFR-mutated lung cancer.

miR-221-5p and miR-186-5p Are the Critical Bladder Cancer Derived Exosomal miRNAs in Natural Killer Cell Dysfunction

Bladder cancer (BC) is the tenth most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide, and its carcinogenesis mechanism has not been fully elucidated. BC is able to induce natural killer (NK) cell dysfunction and escape immune surveillance. The present study found that exosomes derived from the urinary bladder cancer cell line (T24 cell) contribute in generating NK cell dysfunction by impairing viability, and inhibiting the cytotoxicity of the NK cell on target cells. Meanwhile, T24 cell-derived exosomes inhibited the expression of the important functional receptors NKG2D, NKp30, and CD226 on NK cells as well as the secretion of perforin and granzyme-B. The critical miRNAs with high expression in T24 cell-derived exosomes were identified using high-throughput sequencing. Furthermore, following dual-luciferase reporter assay and transfection experiments, miR-221-5p and miR-186-5p were confirmed as interfering with the stability of the mRNAs of DAP10, CD96, and the perforin gene in NK cells and may be potential targets used in the therapy for BC.

Extracellular Vesicles in Multiple Myeloma-Cracking the Code to a Better Understanding of the Disease

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell-derived malignancy that stands for around 1.5% of newly discovered cancer cases. Despite constantly improving treatment methods, the disease is incurable with over 13,000 deaths in the US and over 30,000 in Europe. Recent studies suggest that extracellular vesicles (EVs) might play a significant role in the pathogenesis and evolution of MM. Further investigation of their role could prove to be beneficial in establishing new therapies and hence, improve the prognosis of MM patients. What is more, EVs might serve as novel markers in diagnosing and monitoring the disease. Great advancements concerning the position of EVs in the pathophysiology of MM have recently been shown in research and in this review, we would like to delve into the still expanding state of knowledge.

Extracellular Vesicles: A Novel Tool in Nanomedicine and Cancer Treatment

Simple Summary

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are plasma-membrane-encased particles with various biomolecules. Recent studies have demonstrated that EVs play a role in homeostasis and disease progression, and therefore may be important disease biomarkers. In cancer, EVs mediate inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, and contribute to altering the microenvironment. Additionally, EVs function as mediators in neurodegenerative diseases. Interestingly, EVs also promote stem cell differentiation, intercellular communication, and wound healing. These functions suggest that EVs can be utilized in medicine as therapeutic tools. Moreover, their endogenous nature and ability to carry intact biomolecules of different sizes to their target site due to their lipid bilayer makes them perfect drug transport systems that can be utilized in the treatment of many diseases, with higher efficacy and fewer side effects than other treatments as they can only target diseased cells and not healthy nearby cells, which occurs in conventional chemotherapy, for example. As such, their role in drug delivery has great potential.

Abstract

Extracellular vesicles are membrane-bound vesicles released by cells to mediate intercellular communication and homeostasis. Various external stimuli as well as inherent abnormalities result in alterations in the extracellular vesicle milieu. Changes to cells result in alterations in the content of the extracellular vesicle biogenesis, which may affect proximal and distal cells encountering these altered extracellular vesicles. Therefore, the examination of changes in the extracellular vesicle signature can be used to follow disease progression, reveal possible targets to improve therapy, as well as to serve as mediators of therapy. Furthermore, recent studies have developed methods to alter the cargo of extracellular vesicles to restore normal function or deliver therapeutic agents. This review will examine how extracellular vesicles from cancer cells differ from normal cells, how these altered extracellular vesicles can contribute to cancer progression, and how extracellular vesicles can be used as a therapeutic agent to target cancer cells and cancer-associated stroma. Here we present extracellular vesicles as a novel tool in nanomedicine.

Extracellular Vesicles: A New Frontier for Cardiac Repair

The ability of extracellular vesicles (EVs) to regulate a broad range of cellular processes has recently been used to treat diseases. Growing evidence indicates that EVs play a cardioprotective role in heart disease by activating beneficial signaling pathways. Multiple functional components of EVs and intracellular molecular mechanisms are involved in the process. To overcome the shortcomings of native EVs such as their heterogeneity and limited tropism, a series of engineering approaches has been developed to improve the therapeutic efficiency of EVs. In this review, we present an overview of the research and future directions for EVs-based cardiac therapies with an emphasis on EVs-mediated delivery of therapeutic agents. The advantages and limitations of various modification strategies are discussed, and possible opportunities for improvement are proposed. An in-depth understanding of the endogenous properties of EVs and EVs engineering strategies could lead to a promising cell-free therapy for cardiac repair.

Extracellular Vesicle-Mediated Metastasis Suppressors NME1 and NME2 Modify Lipid Metabolism in Fibroblasts

Simple Summary

Communication between cancer and stromal cells involves paracrine signalling mediated by extracellular vesicles (EVs). EVs transmit essential factors among cells of the tumour microenvironment. EVs derived from both cancer and stromal cells have been implicated in tumour progression. In this study, we focused on the first identified metastasis suppressor NME1, and on its close homolog NME2, and investigated their function in EVs in the interplay between cancer and stromal cells.

Abstract

Nowadays, extracellular vesicles (EVs) raise a great interest as they are implicated in intercellular communication between cancer and stromal cells. Our aim was to understand how vesicular NME1 and NME2 released by breast cancer cells influence the tumour microenvironment. As a model, we used human invasive breast carcinoma cells overexpressing NME1 or NME2, and first analysed in detail the presence of both isoforms in EV subtypes by capillary Western immunoassay (WES) and immunoelectron microscopy. Data obtained by both methods showed that NME1 was present in medium-sized EVs or microvesicles, whereas NME2 was abundant in both microvesicles and small-sized EVs or exosomes. Next, human skin-derived fibroblasts were treated with NME1 or NME2 containing EVs, and subsequently mRNA expression changes in fibroblasts were examined. RNAseq results showed that the expression of fatty acid and cholesterol metabolism-related genes was decreased significantly in response to NME1 or NME2 containing EV treatment. We found that FASN (fatty acid synthase) and ACSS2 (acyl-coenzyme A synthetase short-chain family member 2), related to fatty acid synthesis and oxidation, were underexpressed in NME1/2-EV-treated fibroblasts. Our data show an emerging link between NME-containing EVs and regulation of tumour metabolism.

The potential role of exosomal miRNAs and membrane proteins in acute HIV-infected people

Exosomes play an important role during human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) acute infection. Yet, information regarding its cargo and its association with HIV rapid progressors (RPs) and typical progressors (TPs) remain largely unknown. In this study, exosomal miRNAs sequencing and mass cytometry were used to identify differential exosomal miRNAs and membrane proteins that participate in the pathogenesis of TPs and RPs. We discovered that miR-144-5p, miR-1180-3p, miR-451a, miR-362-5p, and miR-625-5p are associated with the TPs and miR-362-5p with the RPs. Decreased autophagy, amino acid metabolism, immune response, and IL-6 are closely related to RPs. In addition, SP1 was selected as the most significant transcription factor (TF) associated with disease progression. CD49D, CD5, CCR5, CD40, CD14, and CD86 were selected as the differential exosomal membrane proteins between TPs and RPs. This study provides valuable information for clarifying the mechanism in people with acute HIV infection.

Nanovaccines for Cancer Prevention and Immunotherapy: An Update Review

Cancer immunotherapy has received more and more attention from cancer researchers over the past few decades. Various methods such as cell therapy, immune checkpoint blockers, and cancer vaccines alone or in combination therapies have achieved relatively satisfactory results in cancer therapy. Among these immunotherapy-based methods, cancer vaccines alone have not yet had the necessary efficacy in the clinic. Therefore, nanomaterials have increased the efficacy and ef-fectiveness of cancer vaccines by increasing their half-life and durability, promoting tumor mi-croenvironment (TME) reprogramming, and enhancing their anti-tumor immunity with minimal toxicity. In this review, according to the latest studies, the structure and different types of nanovaccines, the mechanisms of these vaccines in cancer treatment, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of these nanovaccines are discussed.

Exosomes from EGFR-Mutated Adenocarcinoma Induce a Hybrid EMT and MMP9-Dependant Tumor Invasion

Exosomes, a class of extra cellular nano-sized vesicles (EVs), and their contents have gained attention as potential sources of information on tumor detection and regulatory drivers of tumor progression and metastasis. The effect of exosomes isolated from patients with an Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR)-mutated adenocarcinoma on the promotion of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and invasion were examined. Exosomes derived from serum of patients with EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) mediate the activation of the Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/ mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway and induce an invasion through the up-regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in A549 cells. We observed a significant increase in the expression of vimentin, a mesenchymal marker, while retaining the epithelial characteristics, as evidenced by the unaltered levels of E-cadherin and Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EPCAM). We also observed an increase of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NFR2) and P-cadherin expression, markers of hybrid EMT. Exosomes derived from EGFR-mutated adenocarcinoma serum could be a potential mediator of hybrid EMT and tumor invasion. Understanding how cancerous cells communicate and interact with their environment via exosomes will improve our understanding of lung cancer progression and metastasis formation.

Macrophage-Derived Extracellular Vesicles: A Promising Tool for Personalized Cancer Therapy

The incidence of cancer is increasing dramatically, affecting all ages of the population and reaching an ever higher worldwide mortality rate. The lack of therapies' efficacy is due to several factors such as a delay in diagnosis, tumor regrowth after surgical resection and the occurrence of multidrug resistance (MDR). Tumor-associated immune cells and the tumor microenvironment (TME) deeply affect the tumor's progression, leading to several physicochemical changes compared to physiological conditions. In this scenario, macrophages play a crucial role, participating both in tumor suppression or progression based on the polarization of onco-suppressive M1 or pro-oncogenic M2 phenotypes. Moreover, much evidence supports the pivotal role of macrophage-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) as mediators in TME, because of their ability to shuttle the cell-cell and organ-cell communications, by delivering nucleic acids and proteins. EVs are lipid-based nanosystems with a broad size range distribution, which reflect a similar composition of native parent cells, thus providing a natural selectivity towards target sites. In this review, we discuss the impact of macrophage-derived EVs in the cancer's fate as well as their potential implications for the development of personalized anticancer nanomedicine.

Extracellular Vesicles in the Progression and Therapeutic Resistance of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an epithelial malignancy largely associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, which is frequently reported in east and southeast Asia. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) originate from the endosome or plasma membrane, which plays a critical role in tumor pathogenesis for their character of cell-cell communication and its cargos, including proteins, RNA, and other molecules that can target recipient cells and affect their progression. To date, numerous studies have indicated that EVs have crucial significance in the progression, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance of NPC. In this review, we not only summarize the interaction of NPC cells and the tumor microenvironment (TME) through EVs, but also explain the role of EVs in radiation and drug resistance of NPC, which poses a severe threat to cancer therapy. Therefore, EVs may show great potential as biomarkers in the early diagnosis of interfered targets of NPC therapy.

Message in a Bottle: Endothelial Cell Regulation by Extracellular Vesicles

Simple Summary

Elucidating the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the communication mechanisms between cancer and endothelial cells (ECs) within the tumor microenvironment is an exciting challenge. At the same time, due to their ability to convey bioactive molecules, EVs may be potentially relevant from a therapeutic perspective for diverse vascular pathologies.

Abstract

Intercellular communication is a key biological mechanism that is fundamental to maintain tissue homeostasis. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as critical regulators of cell–cell communication in both physiological and pathological conditions, due to their ability to shuttle a variety of cell constituents, such as DNA, RNA, lipids, active metabolites, cytosolic, and cell surface proteins. In particular, endothelial cells (ECs) are prominently regulated by EVs released by neighboring cell types. The discovery that cancer cell-derived EVs can control the functions of ECs has prompted the investigation of their roles in tumor angiogenesis and cancer progression. In particular, here, we discuss evidence that supports the roles of exosomes in EC regulation within the tumor microenvironment and in vascular dysfunction leading to atherosclerosis. Moreover, we survey the molecular mechanisms and exosomal cargoes that have been implicated in explanations of these regulatory effects.

Extracellular Vesicle-Mediated Mitochondrial Reprogramming in Cancer

Simple Summary

Mitochondria are important organelles involved in several key cellular processes including energy production and cell death regulation. For this reason, it is unsurprising that mitochondrial function and structure are altered in several pathological states including cancer. Cancer cells present variate strategies to generate sufficient energy to sustain their high proliferation rates. These adaptative strategies can be mediated by extracellular signals such as extracellular vesicles. These vesicles can alter recipient cellular behavior by delivering their molecular cargo. This review explores the different EV-mediated mitochondrial reprogramming mechanisms supporting cancer survival and progression.

Abstract

Altered metabolism is a defining hallmark of cancer. Metabolic adaptations are often linked to a reprogramming of the mitochondria due to the importance of these organelles in energy production and biosynthesis. Cancer cells present heterogeneous metabolic phenotypes that can be modulated by signals originating from the tumor microenvironment. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are recognized as key players in intercellular communications and mediate many of the hallmarks of cancer via the delivery of their diverse biological cargo molecules. Firstly, this review introduces the most characteristic changes that the EV-biogenesis machinery and mitochondria undergo in the context of cancer. Then, it focuses on the EV-driven processes which alter mitochondrial structure, composition, and function to provide a survival advantage to cancer cells in the context of the hallmarks of cancers, such as altered metabolic strategies, migration and invasiveness, immune surveillance escape, and evasion of apoptosis. Finally, it explores the as yet untapped potential of targeting mitochondria using EVs as delivery vectors as a promising cancer therapeutic strategy.

Blood Plasma Exosomes Contain Circulating DNA in Their Crown

It is known that circulating DNA (cirDNA) is protected from nuclease activity by proteins that form macromolecular complexes with DNA. In addition, it was previously shown that cirDNA can bind to the outer surface of exosomes. NTA analysis and real-time PCR show that exosomes from healthy females (HF) or breast cancer patients (BCP) plasma contain less than 1.4 × 10⁻⁸ pg of DNA. Thus, only a minor part of cirDNA is attached to the outer side of the exosome as part of the vesicle crown: the share of exosomal DNA does not exceed 0.025% HF plasma DNA and 0.004% BCP plasma DNA. Treatment of plasma exosomes with DNase I with subsequent dot immunoassay reveals that H2a, H2b, and H3 histones are not part of the exosomal membrane, but are part of the cirDNA–protein macromolecular complex associated with the surface of the exosome either through interaction with DNA-binding proteins or with histone-binding proteins. Using bioinformatics approaches after identification by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, 16 exosomal DNA-binding proteins were identified. It was shown that four proteins—AIFM1, IGHM, CHD5, and KCNIP3—are candidates for DNA binding on the outer membrane of exosomes; the crown of exosomes may include five DNA-binding proteins: H2a, H2b, H3, IGHM, and ALB. Of note, AIFM1, IGHM, and CHD5 proteins are found only in HF plasma exosomes; KCNIP3 protein is identified only in BCP plasma exosomes; and H2a, H2b, H3, and ALB are revealed in all samples of plasma exosomes. Two histone-binding proteins, CHD5 and KDM6B, have been found in exosomes from HF plasma. The data obtained indicate that cirDNA preferentially binds to the outer membrane of exosomes by association with DNA-binding proteins.