Primary tumors release ITGBL1-rich extracellular vesicles to promote distal metastatic tumor growth through fibroblast-niche formation

Nat Commun. 2020 Mar 5;11(1):1211. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-14869-x.

Abstract

Tumor metastasis is a hallmark of cancer. Metastatic cancer cells often reside in distal tissues and organs in their dormant state. Mechanisms underlying the pre-metastatic niche formation are poorly understood. Here we show that in a colorectal cancer (CRC) model, primary tumors release integrin beta-like 1 (ITGBL1)-rich extracellular vesicles (EVs) to the circulation to activate resident fibroblasts in remote organs. The activated fibroblasts induce the pre-metastatic niche formation and promote metastatic cancer growth by secreting pro-inflammatory cytokine, such as IL-6 and IL-8. Mechanistically, the primary CRC-derived ITGBL1-enriched EVs stimulate the TNFAIP3-mediated NF-κB signaling pathway to activate fibroblasts. Consequently, the activated fibroblasts produce high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines to promote metastatic cancer growth. These findings uncover a tumor-stromal interaction in the metastatic tumor microenvironment and an intimate signaling communication between primary tumors and metastases through the ITGBL1-loaded EVs. Targeting the EVs-ITGBL1-CAFs-TNFAIP3-NF-κB signaling axis provides an attractive approach for treating metastatic diseases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts / metabolism
  • Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts / pathology
  • Carcinogenesis / metabolism
  • Carcinogenesis / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / blood
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / genetics
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit / metabolism
  • Disease Progression
  • Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / genetics
  • Extracellular Vesicles / metabolism*
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism
  • Fibroblasts / pathology*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Integrin beta1 / metabolism*
  • Luciferases / metabolism
  • Mice
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Signal Transduction
  • Tissue Distribution
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha-Induced Protein 3 / metabolism

Substances

  • Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit
  • ITGBL1 protein, human
  • Integrin beta1
  • NF-kappa B
  • Luciferases
  • TNFAIP3 protein, human
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha-Induced Protein 3