Abstract
Background/Aim: Tumor-derived exosomes play important roles in tumor metastases. In this report, we observed the fate of tumor-derived exosomes in pancreatic cancer metastatic nude-mouse models using color-coded imaging. Materials and Methods: Mia-PaCa-2 human pancreatic cancer cells expressing red fluorescent protein (RFP) were transduced by exosome-specific pCT-CD63-green fluorescent protein (GFP) and injected in the spleen of nude mice. Results: Four weeks after injection of these cells into the spleen, liver metastases developed and tumor-derived exosomes were observed within the metastatic cancer cells and in Kupffer cells. Furthermore, tumor-derived exosomes diffused to bone marrow and lung cells, especially macrophages, without any metastases present. Conclusion: In the present study, we visualized the distribution of cancer-derived exosomes for the first time at the cellular level, in a pancreatic-cancer metastatic model.
- Pancreatic cancer
- exosomes
- tumor-derived exosomes
- macrophage
- green fluorescent protein
- red fluorescent protein
- color-coded imaging
- nude mice
- Received May 14, 2019.
- Revision received June 14, 2019.
- Accepted June 18, 2019.
- Copyright© 2019, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved