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Extraction of Extracellular Vesicles from Whole Tissue
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Extraction of Extracellular Vesicles from Whole Tissue

Published on: February 7, 2019

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Secreted midbody remnants are a class of extracellular vesicles molecularly distinct from exosomes and microparticles

Alin Rai1,2, David W Greening3,4, Rong Xu3

  • 1Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science (LIMS), La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia. alin.rai@baker.edu.au.

Communications Biology
|March 26, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Secreted midbody remnants (sMB-Rs) from colon cancer cells are extracellular vesicles that promote fibroblast transformation and invasion. This study characterizes sMB-Rs and their role in cellular reprogramming.

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Cancer Research
  • Extracellular Vesicles

Background:

  • The midbody (MB) is crucial for cell division, leaving remnants (MB-Rs) after abscission.
  • Secreted MB-Rs (sMB-Rs) are taken up by other cells, but their function is unclear.
  • Understanding sMB-Rs is vital for comprehending intercellular communication in cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To purify and biochemically characterize secreted midbody remnants (sMB-Rs).
  • To investigate the functional impact of sMB-Rs on recipient cells.

Main Methods:

  • Large-scale purification of sMB-Rs from colon cancer cells.
  • Proteomic profiling using mass spectrometry.
  • Functional assays involving fibroblast co-culture.

Main Results:

  • sMB-Rs are abundant, membrane-encapsulated extracellular vesicles (200-600 nm).
  • sMB-Rs are enriched in cytokinetic proteins and distinct from exosomes/microparticles.
  • Engulfment of sMB-Rs by fibroblasts promotes cellular transformation and invasiveness.

Conclusions:

  • sMB-Rs represent a novel class of extracellular vesicles with significant biological activity.
  • sMB-Rs secreted by cancer cells can reprogram quiescent fibroblasts.
  • These findings highlight a new mechanism of cancer cell-mediated tissue remodeling and invasion.

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