Exosomes and EVs in tumor communication Research

   EVs and non coding RNA in tumor communication

In the last decade, a new type of cellular communication has been uncovered based on extracellular vesicles(EVs). EVs are secreted by most, if not all, cell types. The content of EVs varies and can include non-coding small RNAs, mRNAs, proteins and lipids.  Thanks to their localization in biofluids, EVs have emerged as powerful biomarkers for several diseases, including cancer. Functionally, EVs participate in cell-cell communication between different cell types in the tumor microenvironment. EVs derived from cancer cells have been shown to favor either a pro-tumorigenic or anti-tumorigenic environment by manipulating stromal cells. Studies, including ours, showed that microRNA-containing exosomes are secreted by donor cells and are transferred to recipient cells in which microRNAs can exert their functions. The projects developed in the lab aimed to :

1. Investigation how endothelial cell-derived extracellular vesicles shape the pre-metastatic niche in breast cancer metastasis througth immune modulation

Lay Summary

This research explores how tiny particles released by blood vessel cells, called extracellular vesicles (EVs), communicate with distant organs and help prepare them for the arrival of cancer cells. The study focuses on miR-183-5p, a molecule carried by these vesicles, and examines how it alters the immune environment in the lungs to create conditions that favor breast cancer metastasis. By understanding the mechanisms involved in pre-metastatic niche formation, the project aims to identify new strategies to prevent or limit metastatic disease.

Image created by Kubra Bekar with Biorender

2. Understanding how immuncheckpoint protein present at the exosomal surface might participate in immune evasion in cancer

This research focuses on understanding how lung cancers evade the immune system and become resistant to immunotherapy. The study investigates how tumors communicate with immune cells through t extracellular vesicles (EVs), which can carry molecules that suppress anti-cancer immune responses. By identifying the signals involved in this communication, particularly the immune checkpoint proteins, the work aims to uncover new biomarkers that can predict treatment response and new therapeutic targets that could improve the effectiveness of immunotherapy in lung cancer.

Image created by Maureen Cambier with Biorender

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Image shows breast cancer cells modified to see red florescent exosomes (bleue= nucleus)