Prognostic and immunological role of cancer-associated fibroblasts-derived exosomal protein in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Quick Facts

  • Publication title: Prognostic and immunological role of cancer-associated fibroblasts-derived exosomal protein in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
  • Journal: Int Immunopharmacol
  • Year: 2023
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.110837
  • PMID/PMCID: 37634448

Research overview

Therefore, this study aims to investigate the impact and prognostic significance of CAFs-derived exosomal proteins in ESCC. Despite this, the specific exosomal proteins derived from CAFs and their functions in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remain unknown.

Key findings

Our findings demonstrate that exosomes derived from CAFs significantly enhance the proliferation, invasion, and migration of esophageal cancer cells.

We identified 842 differentially expressed exosomal proteins through LC-MS/MS analysis, and two key proteins were utilized to establish a risk signature.

Survival analysis revealed a significantly worse prognosis in the high-risk group, with multivariate analysis indicating that the risk score serves as an independent prognostic factor.

Moreover, we observed a significant correlation between the risk score and immune cell infiltration, immunotherapy response, and sensitivity to chemotherapeutic treatments in the study population.

Study design

Exosomes obtained from CAFs and normal fibroblasts (NFs) were isolated using ultracentrifugation, and the protein expression profiles of the exosomes were analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).

Tumor proliferation was assessed using CCK-8 and colony formation assays, while cell invasion and migration were evaluated using transwell assays.

Lasso regression analysis was employed to establish a signature based on CAFs-derived exosomal proteins using the TCGA database.

Echo Biotech Role

Echo Biotech contributed EV isolation and purification, EV characterization, EV proteomics.

Related platforms: Exoomics®

Related services and capabilities: EV Isolation & Purification, EV Basic Characterization (TEM/NTA/WB), EV Proteomics

References

Original publication: Prognostic and immunological role of cancer-associated fibroblasts-derived exosomal protein in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma Int Immunopharmacol. 2023. DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.110837. PMID/PMCID: 37634448.