Lucia Languino,
Professor of Cancer Biology,
Thomas Jefferson University
Dr. Languino investigates the role of cell adhesion receptors in phenotypic changes of prostate cancer cells. A strong research focus is being devoted to the study of the cross-talk between cell adhesion molecules, extracellular matrix proteins and growth factor receptors in vitro and in vivo systems and how this cross-talk affects intracellular signal transduction, cell survival, cell migration and cell division. Dr. Languino's research interests also focus on the cellular and molecular characterization of the metastatic process of prostate cancer with particular emphasis on the signals directing distant localization of prostate cancer cells
Extracellular Vesicle Integrins: Novel Opportunities for the Diagnosis and Therapy of Cancer
Wednesday, 26 July 2023 at 09:15
Add to Calendar ▼2023-07-26 09:15:002023-07-26 10:15:00Europe/LondonExtracellular Vesicle Integrins: Novel Opportunities for the Diagnosis and Therapy of CancerExtracellular Vesicles 2023: Technologies, Biomarker Cargo and Diagnostics in Orlando, FloridaOrlando, FloridaSELECTBIOenquiries@selectbiosciences.com
The benefits of cancer therapy mediated by small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) are: low immunogenicity, ability to infiltrate biological barriers and ‘targetability’. Cancer cells cross-talk with the tumor microenvironment by releasing sEVs. Our studies have revealed a role for integrins in sEVs in mediating cancer cell cross-talk with the tumor microenvironment. After confirming the fidelity of the sEV preparations by electron microscopy, density gradient, and immunoblotting, we have determined that integrins are actively packaged into sEVs isolated from cancer cells. sEVs mediate protein transfer of integrins to microvascular endothelial cells and increase the number of their junctions and tubules. We have also demonstrated a cross-talk between prostate cancer cells and monocytes that affects macrophage functions and have suggested that inhibition of integrins might offer a novel immune–based therapeutic strategy in prostate cancer. Overall, these studies show that sEVs from cancer cells may contribute to a horizontal propagation of integrin-associated phenotypes from cancer cells to the tumor microenvironment. We finally demonstrate that the sEVs circulating in plasma from prostate cancer patients contain higher levels of specific integrins, as compared to plasma sEVs from age-matched healthy subjects. Our results suggest that specific integrins in cancer patient sEVs could be clinically useful as non-invasive biomarkers for cancer progression.
Add to Calendar ▼2023-07-26 00:00:002023-07-27 00:00:00Europe/LondonExtracellular Vesicles 2023: Technologies, Biomarker Cargo and DiagnosticsExtracellular Vesicles 2023: Technologies, Biomarker Cargo and Diagnostics in Orlando, FloridaOrlando, FloridaSELECTBIOenquiries@selectbiosciences.com
Add to Calendar ▼2023-07-26 09:15:002023-07-26 10:15:00Europe/LondonExtracellular Vesicle Integrins: Novel Opportunities for the Diagnosis and Therapy of CancerExtracellular Vesicles 2023: Technologies, Biomarker Cargo and Diagnostics in Orlando, FloridaOrlando, FloridaSELECTBIOenquiries@selectbiosciences.com
