Wu Xuejiao, Shen Rui, Yang Zilin, Tang Yuming, Huang Jia, Yao Weiyan
Department of Anesthesiology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Department of Nursing, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Biochem Genet. 2025 Aug 21. doi: 10.1007/s10528-025-11186-0.
Pancreatic cancer is a highly aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis, mainly due to late diagnosis and early metastatic spread. The underlying mechanisms of pancreatic cancer metastasis, particularly the role of hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation, are not fully understood. This study tried to find potential biomarkers for pancreatic cancer progression and prognosis by analyzing extracellular vesicle (EV)-associated miRNA profiles in plasma from pancreatic cancer patients and non-cancer controls. Functional assays, including transfection, western blotting, immunofluorescence, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), were used to assess the ability of the identified miRNA to activate HSCs and promote cancer progression. Our findings revealed that miR-25-3p was significantly upregulated in EVs derived from pancreatic cancer patients, correlating with increased metastasis and worse survival outcomes. EV-associated miR-25-3p from metastatic pancreatic cancer cells activated HSCs by regulating the expression of Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4). Additionally, activated HSCs secreted vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), further driving pancreatic cancer metastasis and progression. These results suggest that miR-25-3p could serve as a novel biomarker for pancreatic cancer progression and a potential therapeutic target to improve patient outcomes.
胰腺癌是一种侵袭性很强的恶性肿瘤,预后较差,主要原因是诊断较晚和早期发生转移。胰腺癌转移的潜在机制,尤其是肝星状细胞(HSC)激活的作用,尚未完全明确。本研究试图通过分析胰腺癌患者和非癌症对照者血浆中细胞外囊泡(EV)相关的miRNA谱,寻找胰腺癌进展和预后的潜在生物标志物。采用包括转染、蛋白质印迹、免疫荧光和酶联免疫吸附测定(ELISA)在内的功能测定方法,评估所鉴定的miRNA激活肝星状细胞和促进癌症进展的能力。我们的研究结果显示,胰腺癌患者来源的细胞外囊泡中miR-25-3p显著上调,这与转移增加和生存结果较差相关。转移性胰腺癌细胞来源的细胞外囊泡相关miR-25-3p通过调节Krüppel样因子4(KLF4)的表达激活肝星状细胞。此外,激活的肝星状细胞分泌血管内皮生长因子(VEGF),进一步推动胰腺癌的转移和进展。这些结果表明,miR-25-3p可作为胰腺癌进展的新型生物标志物以及改善患者预后的潜在治疗靶点。
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