Adipose tissue-derived extracellular vesicles from obese mice suppressed splenocyte-mediated pancreatic cancer cell death.

BACKGROUND

Obesity is a risk factor for pancreatic cancer and negatively contributes to the immune system. However, the mechanisms by which obesity mediates these actions are still poorly understood. Recent studies have demonstrated that extracellular vesicles (EVs) are key mediators of communication between cells and may influence various aspects of cancer progression.

OBJECTIVES

We aim to explore the influence of EVs derived from adipose tissue of obese mice on cytokine production within the interactions between cancer cells and immune cells.

DESIGN

We isolated EVs from the adipose tissue of both C57BL6/J mice and mice. Subsequently, we treated EVs with Panc02 cells, the murine ductal pancreatic cancer cell line, which were co-cultured with splenocytes. Viability and SMAD4 gene expression were examined in Panc02 cells, and cytokine concentrations of IL-6, IL-4, IL-12, and IL-12p70 were measured in the cultured medium.

RESULTS

Interestingly, we observed a significant reduction in splenocyte-mediated Panc02 cell death when treated with EVs derived from the adipose tissue of mice, compared to those from C57BL6/J mice. Additionally, EVs from mice-derived adipose tissue significantly increased the levels of IL-4, IL-2, and IL-12p70 in the culture media of Panc02 cells co-cultured with splenocytes, compared to EVs from C57BL6/J mice-derived adipose tissue.

CONCLUSION

Adipose tissue-derived EVs from obese mice suppressed splenocyte-mediated Panc02 cell death and upregulated IL-4, IL-2, and IL-12p70 in cultured medium.