Use of extracellular vesicles from lymphatic drainage as surrogate markers of melanoma progression and BRAF V600E mutation

J Exp Med. 2019 May 6;216(5):1061-1070. doi: 10.1084/jem.20181522. Epub 2019 Apr 11.

Abstract

Liquid biopsies from cancer patients have the potential to improve diagnosis and prognosis. The assessment of surrogate markers of tumor progression in circulating extracellular vesicles could be a powerful non-invasive approach in this setting. We have characterized extracellular vesicles purified from the lymphatic drainage also known as exudative seroma (ES) of stage III melanoma patients obtained after lymphadenectomy. Proteomic analysis showed that seroma-derived exosomes are enriched in proteins resembling melanoma progression. In addition, we found that the BRAFV600E mutation can be detected in ES-derived extracellular vesicles and its detection correlated with patients at risk of relapse.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cohort Studies
  • Disease Progression*
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Drainage
  • Exosomes / metabolism
  • Extracellular Vesicles / metabolism*
  • Exudates and Transudates / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lymphatic Metastasis
  • Male
  • Melanoma / genetics*
  • Melanoma / metabolism*
  • Melanoma / pathology
  • Middle Aged
  • Mutation*
  • Proteomics / methods
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / genetics*
  • Seroma / metabolism*
  • Skin Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Skin Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Skin Neoplasms / pathology

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • BRAF protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf