New insights in the composition of extracellular vesicles from pancreatic cancer cells: implications for biomarkers and functions.

Background: Pancreatic cancer development is associated with characteristic alterations like desmoplastic reaction and immune escape which are mediated by the cell-cell communication mechanism and by the microenvironment of the cells. The whole of released components are important determinants in these processes. Especially the extracellular vesicles released by pancreatic cancer cells play a role in cell communication and modulate cell growth and immune responses.

Characterization of soluble and exosomal forms of the EGFR released from pancreatic cancer cells.

Aims: Members of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family represent validated targets for anti-cancer therapy and EGFR inhibitors have also shown efficacy in pancreatic carcinoma. We here described in detail molecular forms of the EGF receptor released by pancreatic cancer cells. We found peptides specific for the EGFR in the secretomes of five pancreatic cancer cell lines.