Researchers at McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) have reportedly made a new discovery regarding migrating cancer cells.
It is believed that migrating cancer cells release an extracellular vesicle, indicating how cells shed their DNA as they move.
Researchers found that the cells release tiny structures which have been dubbed motile vesicles (MoVes). These cells carry genetic material, including cancer-associated mutations.
“Extracellular vesicles, or EVs, have been studied for decades, yet we are still discovering entirely new ways in which cells produce and release them. Studying this new type of vesicle, which we’ve named MoVes, could uncover new mechanisms involved in cancer progression and ultimately reveal new therapeutic targets,” said Prof. Julia Burnier, PhD, Scientist in the Cancer Research Program at The Institute and senior author of the study.
Researchers say that extracellular vesicles can be found in tissues as well as in biofluids like blood, saliva and urine, and their bubble-like structures are produced and released by virtually all human cells, and were previously thought to be cellular waste.
It is now believed that those cells play a part in communication between cells as they travel throughout the body and carry various molecules, including proteins, RNA and DNA, which can be transferred to other cells. In some cases, those cells will travel to other organs and create conditions to metastases, or in other cases, they can transfer cancer-related molecules to other cells.
“What makes this discovery particularly exciting is that we were not looking for a new type of vesicle. We were trying to understand how cancer cells release DNA and unexpectedly uncovered a biological process through which migrating cancer cells release genetic material and communicate with their surroundings,” said Thupten Tsering, first author of the study and a PhD student in Prof. Burnier’s laboratory at The Institute.
The researchers made the discovery when they reportedly looked at cancerous and non-cancerous cells using several experimental approaches and used advanced imaging techniques.
They found that MoVes production was linked to a process called epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which allows cells that normally stick together to become more mobile and invade surrounding tissues. In cancer, this process is associated with tumour progression and resistance to certain treatments.
“The breakthrough came when we induced EMT in non-cancerous cells, making them more mobile. We saw a dramatic increase in MoVes production, establishing a direct link between EMT and cell migration and the formation of these vesicles,” explains Prof. Burnier, who is also Associate Professor at McGill University.
The research team says they’ll now be looking at mechanisms that control how MoVes are formed and released.
For more on the study, click here.
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