Polycomb group protein Suz12 is regulated by a novel miRNA-like small RNA.

Human mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (hMSCs) provide support for cancer progression, partly through their secretome that includes extracellular vesicles (EVs). Based on deep-sequencing of small RNA from EVs of MSCs, we now report the characterization of novel small RNA, named n-miR-G665, which exhibits typical properties of miRNAs. n-miR-G665 sequence is conserved and expressed in most cell types.

Stromal cell extracellular vesicular cargo mediated regulation of breast cancer cell metastasis via ubiquitin conjugating enzyme E2 N pathway.

Mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs) have been used to understand the stromal cell properties in solid tumors because of their ablity to differentiate into most cell types. We investigated the role of EVs from hMSCs (hMSC-EVs) in breast cancer metastasis using MDA-MB-231 parental cell line and organotropic sub-lines. We demonstrated that hMSC-EVs significantly suppressed the metastatic potential of the parental cell line when compared to their organotropic sublines.

Three dimensional tumor models for cancer studies.

It is well recognized that one of the major drawbacks of using traditional two dimensional cultures to model the living systems is inaccurately reflecting the physiological manner in which modulators, nutrients, oxygen, and metabolites are applied and removed. Moreover, the two dimensional culture system poorly reflects how different cell types interact with each other in the same microenvironment. Since the first global development of three dimensional (3D) cell culture techniques in the late 1960s, this last decade has seen an explosion of studies to promote 3D models in the fields of regenerative medicine and cancer.

Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells under Stress Increase Osteosarcoma Migration and Apoptosis Resistance via Extracellular Vesicle Mediated Communication.

Studies have shown that mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) from bone marrow are involved in the growth and metastasis of solid tumors but the mechanism remains unclear in osteosarcoma (OS). Previous studies have raised the possibility that OS cells may receive support from associated MSCs in the nutrient deprived core of the tumors through the release of supportive macromolecules and growth factors either in vesicular or non-vesicular forms. In the present study, we used stressed mesenchymal stem cells (SD-MSCs), control MSCs and OS cells to examine the hypothesis that tumor-associated MSCs in nutrient deprived core provide pro-proliferative, anti-apoptotic, and metastatic support to nearby tumor cells.

Quantification of Small Extracellular Vesicles by Size Exclusion Chromatography with Fluorescence Detection.

Chemical analysis of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) circulating in body fluids holds potentials in noninvasive diagnosis of diseases and evaluation of therapeutic treatments. However, quantification of sEVs remains a challenge due to lacking of cost-effective analytical protocols. Herein we report a facile method based on size exclusion chromatography with fluorescence detection (SEC-FD) for sEVs quantification.