The Role of Extracellular Vesicles in Metastasis

Abstract

The proposed work addresses the dire need for new platforms for ESV isolation and precise, quantitative characterization of each cancerous ESV subpopulations role in cargo transfer. Specifically, we aim to (1) optimize an existing microfluidic separation platform to efficiently isolate ESV subpopulations (from the cells and from each other) originating from breast cancer cell lines with a range of metastatic character, (2) engineer breast cancer cell lines with fluorescent and radiolabeled ESV sub-populations for individual tracking, and (3) use accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS), which allows extremely sensitive rare-molecule detection, to quantify low levels of tumor-derived RNA transferred via ESVs to osteoblasts. These bone cells represent the most common tissue target for breast cancer metastasis, and we will mimic ESV-mediated cancer invasion and metastasis by growing the cancerous and bone cells together in a trans-well cell co-culture system. The use of these molecular and physical tools in combination specifically to address cancer invasiveness and mechanisms of metastasis is unprecedented. This study will yield the first quantitative data on which ESV subpopulations (exosomes, MVs, or oncosomes) manipulate the tumor microenvironment, the ESV cargo transferred, and how this differs across the range of cell metastatic potential.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2017
Accession Number
AD1047996

Entities

People

  • Gabriela G Loots

Organizations

  • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Breast Cancer
  • Cancer
  • Cell Line
  • Cells
  • Culture Techniques
  • Engineering
  • Engineers
  • Flow Rate
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Medical Personnel
  • Metastasis
  • Osteoblasts
  • Personality
  • Platforms
  • Spectrometry
  • Standards
  • Students

Fields of Study

  • Biology

Readers

  • Oncology (Cancer Research).
  • Theoretical Analysis.