Exosomes mediated pentose phosphate pathway in ovarian cancer metastasis: a proteomics analysis

Epithelial ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecological malignancies for readily metastasis. Exosomes have played an influential role in carcinogenicity and cancer progression. Our aim is to discover exosome-related mechanisms in ovarian cancer progress and explore potential diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets of ovarian cancer. We initially presented the proteomic profiles of exosomes derived from two late-stage ovarian cell lines, OVCA429 and HO8910PM. A total of 2940 exosomal proteins were recorded by MS. FunRich appropriately processed these exosomal proteins, manifesting some superiority in contrast to Blast2go. Moreover, we demonstrated the pentose phosphate pathway was a dominant mechanism in exosome mediated intracellular communication. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, transketolase and transaldolase 1, three key enzymes regulated pentose phosphate pathway, were all marked in the same exosomal parts of proteins between two ovarian cell lines. Moreover, these key proteins might become diagnostic, prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets of ovarian cancer.