CD147-high extracellular vesicles promote gastric cancer metastasis via VEGF/AKT/eNOS and AKT/mTOR pathways.

Abstract

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a pivotal role in intercellular communication and are closely linked to cancer progression and metastasis. Our previous studies have shown that gastric cancer cell-derived EVs can promote tumor metastasis by increasing the permeability of the endothelial barrier. However, it remains unclear which effector molecule in the EV structure is the key factor of EV-mediated tumor metastasis and the underlying molecular mechanism. In this study, we found that CD147 is a key molecule highly expressed in gastric cancer-derived EVs and confirmed the role of CD147-high EVs from gastric cancer cells in promoting endothelial dysfunction and tumor metastasis. Our results showed that CD147-high EVs activated the VEGF/AKT/eNOS/NO and AKT/mTOR/p70S6K signaling pathways, leading to endothelial cytoskeletal reorganization and internalization of VE-cadherin, which significantly compromised endothelial barrier integrity, increased vascular leakage, enhanced transendothelial migration of tumor cell, and promoted the formation of metastatic tumors. Furthermore, detection of CD147 levels in gastric cancer tissues and plasma EVs indicated that high CD147 expression was associated with advanced tumor stage, poor prognosis, and reduced survival. Our findings suggest that CD147-high EVs are critical mediators of tumor-endothelial interactions and potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for gastric cancer. Their potential as therapeutic targets for gastric cancer is underscored. This figure illustrates the proposed mechanism by which CD147-high gcEVs promote tumor metastasis. CD147-high EVs are released from gastric cancer cells and interact with endothelial cells in the tumor microenvironment. Upon uptake by endothelial cells, CD147-high gcEVs activate the key signaling pathways, including the VEGF/AKT/eNOS/NO and AKT/mTOR/p70S6K pathway, which collectively facilitate the metastatic potential of gastric cancer cells by promoting endothelial cell dysfunction and increasing vascular permeability.