Yousafzai Neelum Aziz, Santos Mark F, Kim Yeaji, Avihen Schahaf Nofar, Zielke Kim, Languino Lucia, Sossey-Alaoui Khalid, Lorico Aurelio
School of Medicine, The MetroHealth System, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
College of Medicine, Touro University Nevada, Henderson, NV 89014, USA.
Cells. 2025 Jul 7;14(13):1034. doi: 10.3390/cells14131034.
Metastatic breast cancer (BC) is a major cause of cancer-related deaths among women. Its progression is influenced by extracellular vesicles (EVs) released by BC cells, which modulate distant tissue environments to promote metastasis. We previously identified the oncogenic protein Kindlin-2 (K2) as a key driver of BC metastasis, including its role in the nucleus in regulating cell senescence. Here, we investigated whether K2-containing EVs facilitate both autologous (cancer-to-cancer) and heterologous (cancer-to-stroma) communication to promote metastasis. We found that 10-15% of EVs from metastatic BC cells contained K2, while this subpopulation was nearly absent in the EVs from K2-knockout (KO) cells, indicating selective packaging. These EVs transferred K2 to recipient K2-KO cells, where they accumulated in the nucleus. Using a 3D tumorsphere assay, we showed that K2+ EVs enhanced cancer cell invasiveness. Moreover, K2+ EVs activated fibroblasts into a cancer-associated phenotype, increasing α-SMA and FAP expression. Conditioned media from these activated fibroblasts further boosted cancer cell invasion. These results show that EV-associated K2 is actively transferred to recipient cells and regulates metastasis through nuclear signaling, suggesting K2+ EVs are critical mediators of BC progression and potential targets for therapy.
转移性乳腺癌(BC)是女性癌症相关死亡的主要原因。其进展受BC细胞释放的细胞外囊泡(EVs)影响,这些囊泡可调节远处组织环境以促进转移。我们之前鉴定出致癌蛋白Kindlin-2(K2)是BC转移的关键驱动因素,包括其在细胞核中调节细胞衰老的作用。在此,我们研究了含K2的EVs是否促进自体(癌到癌)和异源(癌到基质)通讯以促进转移。我们发现转移性BC细胞来源的EVs中有10 - 15%含有K2,而K2基因敲除(KO)细胞来源的EVs中几乎不存在这一亚群,表明存在选择性包装。这些EVs将K2转移至受体K2-KO细胞,并在细胞核中积累。使用三维肿瘤球测定法,我们发现含K2的EVs增强了癌细胞的侵袭性。此外,含K2的EVs将成纤维细胞激活为癌症相关表型,增加了α-SMA和FAP的表达。这些激活的成纤维细胞的条件培养基进一步促进了癌细胞的侵袭。这些结果表明,与EV相关的K2被主动转移至受体细胞,并通过核信号传导调节转移,提示含K2的EVs是BC进展的关键介质和潜在治疗靶点。
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