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    Gut Microbiota‐Derived Extracellular Vesicles Influence Alcohol Intake Preferences in Rats
    (Wiley, 2025-03)
    Macarena Díaz‐Ubilla
    ;
    Aliosha I. Figueroa‐Valdés
    ;
    Hugo E. Tobar
    ;
    María Elena Quintanilla
    ;
    Eugenio Díaz
    <jats:title>ABSTRACT</jats:title><jats:p>Growing preclinical and clinical evidence suggests a link between gut microbiota dysbiosis and problematic alcohol consumption. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are key mediators involved in bacteria‐to‐host communication. However, their potential role in mediating addictive behaviour remains unexplored. This study investigates the role of gut microbiota‐derived bacterial extracellular vesicles (bEVs) in driving high alcohol consumption. bEVs were isolated from the gut microbiota of a high alcohol‐drinking rat strain (UChB rats), either ethanol‐naïve or following chronic alcohol consumption and administered intraperitoneally or orally to alcohol‐rejecting male and female Wistar rats. Both types of UChB‐derived bEVs increased Wistar's voluntary alcohol consumption (three bottle choice test) up to 10‐fold (<jats:italic>p</jats:italic> &lt; 0.0001), indicating that bEVs are able and sufficient to transmit drinking behaviour across different rat strains. Molecular analysis revealed that bEVs administration did not induce systemic or brain inflammation in the recipient animals, suggesting that the increased alcohol intake triggered by UChB‐derived bEVs operates through an inflammation‐independent mechanism. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the vagus nerve mediates the bEV‐induced increase in alcohol consumption, as bilateral vagotomy completely abolished the high drinking behaviour induced by both intraperitoneally injected and orally administered bEVs. Thus, this study identifies bEVs as a novel mechanism underlying gut microbiota‐induced high alcohol intake in a vagus nerve‐dependent manner.</jats:p>
      7
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    Lactadherin immunoblockade in small extracellular vesicles inhibits sEV-mediated increase of pro-metastatic capacities
    (2024)
    Eduardo Durán-Jara
    ;
    Matías del Campo
    ;
    Valentina Gutiérrez
    ;
    Ignacio Wichmann
    ;
    Background: Tumor-derived small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) can promote tumorigenic and metastatic capacities in less aggressive recipient cells mainly through the biomolecules in their cargo. However, despite recent advances, the specific molecules orchestrating these changes are not completely defined. Lactadherin is a secreted glycoprotein typically found in the milk fat globule membrane. Its overexpression has been associated with increased tumorigenesis and metastasis in breast cancer (BC) and other tumors. However, neither its presence in sEVs secreted by BC cells, nor its role in sEV-mediated intercellular communication have been described. The present study focused on the role of lactadherin-containing sEVs from metastatic MDA-MB-231 triple-negative BC (TNBC) cells (sEV-MDA231) in the promotion of pro-metastatic capacities in non-tumorigenic and non-metastatic recipient cells in vitro, as well as their pro-metastatic role in a murine model of peritoneal carcinomatosis. Results: We show that lactadherin is present in sEVs secreted by BC cells and it is higher in sEV-MDA231 compared with the other BC cell-secreted sEVs measured through ELISA. Incubation of non-metastatic recipient cells with sEV-MDA231 increases their migration and, to some extent, their tumoroid formation capacity but not their anchorage-independent growth. Remarkably, lactadherin blockade in sEV-MDA231 results in a significant decrease of those sEV-mediated changes in vitro. Similarly, intraperitoneally treatment of mice with MDA-MB-231 BC cells and sEV-MDA231 greatly increase the formation of malignant ascites and tumor micronodules, effects that were significantly inhibited when lactadherin was previously blocked in those sEV-MDA231. Conclusions: As to our knowledge, our study provides the first evidence on the role of lactadherin in metastatic BC cell-secreted sEVs as promoter of: (i) metastatic capacities in less aggressive recipient cells, and ii) the formation of malignant ascites and metastatic tumor nodules. These results increase our understanding on the role of lactadherin in sEVs as promoter of metastatic capacities which can be used as a therapeutic option for BC and other malignancies
    Scopus© Citations 3  6
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    EV-miRNA-Mediated Intercellular Communication in the Breast Tumor Microenvironment
    (2023)
    Francisca Sepúlveda
    ;
    Cristina Mayorga-Lobos
    ;
    Kevin Guzmán
    ;
    Eduardo Durán-Jara
    ;
    Lorena Lobos-González
    <jats:p>Cancer research has prioritized the study of the tumor microenvironment (TME) as a crucial area of investigation. Understanding the communication between tumor cells and the various cell types within the TME has become a focal point. Bidirectional communication processes between these cells support cellular transformation, as well as the survival, invasion, and metastatic dissemination of tumor cells. Extracellular vesicles are lipid bilayer structures secreted by cells that emerge as important mediators of this cell-to-cell communication. EVs transfer their molecular cargo, including proteins and nucleic acids, and particularly microRNAs, which play critical roles in intercellular communication. Tumor-derived EVs, for example, can promote angiogenesis and enhance endothelial permeability by delivering specific miRNAs. Moreover, adipocytes, a significant component of the breast stroma, exhibit high EV secretory activity, which can then modulate metabolic processes, promoting the growth, proliferation, and migration of tumor cells. Comprehensive studies investigating the involvement of EVs and their miRNA cargo in the TME, as well as their underlying mechanisms driving tumoral capacities, are necessary for a deeper understanding of these complex interactions. Such knowledge holds promise for the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in cancer treatment.</jats:p>
    Scopus© Citations 17  1
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    Caveolin-1-dependent tenascin C inclusion in extracellular vesicles is required to promote breast cancer cell malignancy
    (2023)
    America Campos
    ;
    Renato Burgos-Ravanal
    ;
    Lorena Lobos-González
    ;
    Ricardo Huilcamán
    ;
    María Fernanda González
    <jats:p> Background: Elevated expression of CAV1 in breast cancer increases tumor progression. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) from CAV1-expressing MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells contain Tenascin C (TNC), but the relevance of TNC remained to be defined. Methods: EVs were characterized by nanotracking analysis, microscopy and western blotting. The uptake of EVs by cells was studied using flow cytometry. The effects of EVs on breast cancer cells were tested in migration, invasion, colony formation and in vivo assays. Results: EVs were taken up by cells; however, only those containing TNC promoted invasiveness. In vivo, EVs lacking TNC ceased to promote tumor growth. Conclusion: CAV1 and TNC contained in breast cancer cell-derived EVs were identified as proteins that favor progression of breast cancer. </jats:p>
    Scopus© Citations 7  1
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    Type I collagen hydrogels as a delivery matrix for royal jelly derived extracellular vesicles
    (2020)
    Orlando J. Ramírez
    ;
    Simón Alvarez
    ;
    Pamina Contreras-Kallens
    ;
    Nelson P. Barrera
    ;
    Sebastian Aguayo
      7Scopus© Citations 34
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    Extracellular Vesicles as Mediators of Cancer Disease and as Nanosystems in Theranostic Applications
    (2021)
    Renato Burgos-Ravanal
    ;
    América Campos
    ;
    Magda C. Díaz-Vesga
    ;
    María Fernanda González
    ;
    Daniela León
    <jats:p>Cancer remains a leading cause of death worldwide despite decades of intense efforts to understand the molecular underpinnings of the disease. To date, much of the focus in research has been on the cancer cells themselves and how they acquire specific traits during disease development and progression. However, these cells are known to secrete large numbers of extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are now becoming recognized as key players in cancer. EVs contain a large number of different molecules, including but not limited to proteins, mRNAs, and miRNAs, and they are actively secreted by many different cell types. In the last two decades, a considerable body of evidence has become available indicating that EVs play a very active role in cell communication. Cancer cells are heterogeneous, and recent evidence reveals that cancer cell-derived EV cargos can change the behavior of target cells. For instance, more aggressive cancer cells can transfer their “traits” to less aggressive cancer cells and convert them into more malignant tumor cells or, alternatively, eliminate those cells in a process referred to as “cell competition”. This review discusses how EVs participate in the multistep acquisition of specific traits developed by tumor cells, which are referred to as “the hallmarks of cancer” defined by Hanahan and Weinberg. Moreover, as will be discussed, EVs play an important role in drug resistance, and these more recent advances may explain, at least in part, why pharmacological therapies are often ineffective. Finally, we discuss literature proposing the use of EVs for therapeutic and prognostic purposes in cancer.</jats:p>
      1Scopus© Citations 24
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    Connexin-46 Contained in Extracellular Vesicles Enhance Malignancy Features in Breast Cancer Cells
    <jats:p>Under normal conditions, almost all cell types communicate with their neighboring cells through gap junction channels (GJC), facilitating cellular and tissue homeostasis. A GJC is formed by the interaction of two hemichannels; each one of these hemichannels in turn is formed by six subunits of transmembrane proteins called connexins (Cx). For many years, it was believed that the loss of GJC-mediated intercellular communication was a hallmark in cancer development. However, nowadays this paradigm is changing. The connexin 46 (Cx46), which is almost exclusively expressed in the eye lens, is upregulated in human breast cancer, and is correlated with tumor growth in a Xenograft mouse model. On the other hand, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have an important role in long-distance communication under physiological conditions. In the last decade, EVs also have been recognized as key players in cancer aggressiveness. The aim of this work was to explore the involvement of Cx46 in EV-mediated intercellular communication. Here, we demonstrated for the first time, that Cx46 is contained in EVs released from breast cancer cells overexpressing Cx46 (EVs-Cx46). This EV-Cx46 facilitates the interaction between EVs and the recipient cell resulting in an increase in their migration and invasion properties. Our results suggest that EV-Cx46 could be a marker of cancer malignancy and open the possibility to consider Cx46 as a new therapeutic target in cancer treatment.</jats:p>
      3Scopus© Citations 28
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    Lactadherin: From a Well-Known Breast Tumor Marker to a Possible Player in Extracellular Vesicle-Mediated Cancer Progression
    (2022)
    Eduardo Durán-Jara
    ;
    Tamara Vera-Tobar
    ;
    Lorena De Lourdes Lobos-González
    <jats:p>Lactadherin is a secreted glycoprotein associated with the milk fat globule membrane, which is highly present in the blood and in the mammary tissue of lactating women. Several biological functions have been associated with this protein, mainly attributable to its immunomodulatory role promoting phagocyte-mediated clearance of apoptotic cells. It has been shown that lactadherin also plays important roles in cell adhesion, the promotion of angiogenesis, and tissue regeneration. On the other hand, this protein has been used as a marker of breast cancer and tumor progression. Recently, high levels of lactadherin has been associated with poor prognosis and decreased survival, not only in breast cancer, but also in melanoma, ovarian, colorectal, and other types of cancer. Although the mechanisms responsible for the tumor-promoting effects attributed to lactadherin have not been fully elucidated, a growing body of literature indicates that lactadherin could be a promising therapeutic target and/or biomarker for breast and other tumors. Moreover, recent studies have shown its presence in extracellular vesicles derived from cancer cell lines and cancer patients, which was associated with cancer aggressiveness and worse prognosis. Thus, this review will focus on the link between lactadherin and cancer development and progression, its possible use as a cancer biomarker and/or therapeutic target, concluding with a possible role of this protein in cellular communication mediated by extracellular vesicles</jats:p>
    Scopus© Citations 14  4
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    Caveolin-1-containing extracellular vesicles transport adhesion proteins and promote malignancy in breast cancer cell lines
    (2018)
    America Campos
    ;
    Carlos Salomon
    ;
    Rocio Bustos
    ;
    Jorge Díaz
    ;
    Samuel Martínez
    <jats:p> Breast cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women worldwide, whereby mortality is largely attributable to the development of distant metastasis. Caveolin-1 (CAV1) is a multifunctional membrane protein that is typically upregulated in the final stages of cancer and promotes migration and invasion of tumor cells. Elevated levels of CAV1 have been detected in extracellular vesicles (EVs) from advanced cancer patients. EVs are lipid enclosed vesicular structures that contain bioactive proteins, DNA and RNAs, which can be transferred to other cells and promote metastasis. Therefore, we hypothesized that CAV1 containing EVs released from breast cancer cells may enhance migration and invasion of recipient cells. EVs were purified from conditioned media of MDA-MB-231 wild-type (WT), MDA-MB-231 (shCAV1; possessing the plasmid pLKO.1 encoding a ‘small hairpin’ directed against CAV1) and MDA-MB-231 (shC) short hairpin control cells. Nanoparticle tracking analysis revealed an average particle size of 40–350 nm for all preparations. As anticipated, CAV1 was detected in MDA-MB-231 WT and shC EVs, but not in MDA-MB-231 (shCAV1) EVs. Mass spectrometry analysis revealed the presence of specific cell adhesion-related proteins, such as Cyr61, tenascin (TNC) and S100A9 only in WT and shC, but not in shCAV1 EVs. Importantly, EVs containing CAV1 promoted migration and invasion of cells lacking CAV1. We conclude that the presence of CAV1 in EVs from metastatic breast cancer cells is associated with enhanced migration and invasiveness of recipient cells in vitro, suggesting that intercellular communication promoted by EVs containing CAV1 will likely favor metastasis in vivo. </jats:p>
      1Scopus© Citations 75  2
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    Small Extracellular Vesicles Released from Ovarian Cancer Spheroids in Response to Cisplatin Promote the Pro-Tumorigenic Activity of Mesenchymal Stem Cells
    (2019)
    Nelly Vera
    ;
    Stephanie Acuña-Gallardo
    ;
    Felipe Grünenwald
    ;
    Albano Caceres-Verschae
    ;
    Ornella Realini
    <jats:p>Despite the different strategies used to treat ovarian cancer, around 70% of women/patients eventually fail to respond to the therapy. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play a role in the treatment failure due to their chemoresistant properties. This capacity to resist chemotherapy allows CSCs to interact with different components of the tumor microenvironment, such as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and thus contribute to tumorigenic processes. Although the participation of MSCs in tumor progression is well understood, it remains unclear how CSCs induce the pro-tumorigenic activity of MSCs in response to chemotherapy. Small extracellular vesicles, including exosomes, represent one possible way to modulate any type of cell. Therefore, in this study, we evaluate if small extracellular vesicle (sEV) derived from ovarian cancer spheroids (OCS), which are enriched in CSCs, can modify the activity of MSCs to a pro-tumorigenic phenotype. We show that sEV released by OCS in response to cisplatin induce an increase in the migration pattern of bone marrow MSCs (BM-MSCs) and the secretion interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA). Moreover, the factors secreted by BM-MSCs induce angiogenesis in endothelial cells and the migration of low-invasive ovarian cancer cells. These findings suggest that cisplatin could modulate the cargo of sEV released by CSCs, and these exosomes can further induce the pro-tumorigenic activity of MSCs.</jats:p>
      3Scopus© Citations 35