Pericytes promote metastasis by regulating tumor local vascular tone and hemodynamics

Quick Facts

  • Publication title: Pericytes promote metastasis by regulating tumor local vascular tone and hemodynamics
  • Journal: Nat Commun
  • Year: 2025
  • DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-62475-6
  • PMID/PMCID: 40753165; PMC12318036

Research overview

Hemodynamics are important for survival and extravasation of circulating tumor cells, whereas the effects of hemodynamics on tumor cell intravasation remain mostly unknown. These findings reveal that TPCs-regulated vasodilation and hemodynamics facilitate tumor metastasis, and provide a potential prognostic marker and therapeutic strategy for tumor metastasis.

Key findings

Hemodynamics are important for survival and extravasation of circulating tumor cells, whereas the effects of hemodynamics on tumor cell intravasation remain mostly unknown.

Here, we show that colorectal cancer patients with liver metastasis are characterized by increased diameter and blood flow in the primary tumor compared with non-metastatic patients.

A subpopulation of NKX2-3high tumor pericytes (TPCs) in the primary tumor is associated with hematogenous metastasis of patients.

Mechanistically, long noncoding RNA NEAT1-enriched extracellular vesicles induce NKX2-3 upregulation in TPCs.

Echo Biotech Role

Echo Biotech contributed EV isolation and purification; the study also used or cited Exosupur®.

Related platforms: Exoomics®, Research Reagents & Tools

Related services and capabilities: Biofluid EV Isolation & Purification, Research Reagent / Product Supply

Related products or reagents: Exosupur® EV Isolation/Purification Kit

References

Original publication: Pericytes promote metastasis by regulating tumor local vascular tone and hemodynamics Nature communications. 2025. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-62475-6. PMID/PMCID: 40753165; PMC12318036.