Publications

Publications

Enhanced Detection of Cancer Biomarkers in Blood-Borne Extracellular Vesicles Using Nanodroplets and Focused Ultrasound

Cancer Res. 2017 Jan 1;77(1):3-1

Paproski RJ, Jovel J, Wong GK, Lewis JD, Zemp RJ.

Abstract

The feasibility of personalized medicine approaches will be greatly improved by the development of noninvasive methods to interrogate tumor biology. Extracellular vesicles shed by solid tumors into the bloodstream have been under recent investigation as a source of tumor-derived biomarkers such as proteins and nucleic acids. We report here an approach using submicrometer perfluorobutane nanodroplets and focused ultrasound to enhance the release of extracellular vesicles from specific locations in tumors into the blood. The released extracellular vesicles were enumerated and characterized using micro flow cytometry. Only in the presence of nanodroplets could ultrasound release appreciable levels of tumor-derived vesicles into the blood. Sonication of HT1080-GFP tumors did not increase the number of circulating tumor cells or the metastatic burden in the tumor-bearing embryos. A variety of biological molecules were successfully detected in tumor-derived extracellular vesicles, including cancer-associated proteins, mRNAs, and miRNAs. Sonication of xenograft HT1080 fibrosarcoma tumors released extracellular vesicles that contained detectable RAC1 mRNA with the highly tumorigenic N92I mutation known to exist in HT1080 cells. Deep sequencing serum samples of embryos with sonicated tumors allowed the identification of an additional 13 known heterozygous mutations in HT1080 cells. Applying ultrasound to HT1080 tumors increased tumor-derived DNA in the serum by two orders of magnitude. This work is the first demonstration of enhanced extracellular vesicle release by ultrasound stimulation and suggests that nanodroplets/ultrasound offers promise for genetic profiling of tumor phenotype and aggressiveness by stimulating the release of extracellular vesicles.

PubMed

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Prostate Cancer Canada’s Step Up Challenge 2019!

Prostate Cancer Canada’s Step Up Challenge 2019 pits endurance and drive against multistory office tower stairwells and gravity to raise funds for local prostate cancer research projects and initiatives in four Canadian cities. Heroic participants challenged the stairs in Toronto and Calgary on March 3rd, still to come is Vancouver on March 10th and Edmonton on March 17th (St. Patricks day!).

Congratulations to Calgary’s Step Up Challenge event participants who raised 111% of their $95 000 goal! These proceeds will support Dr. Tarek Bismar’s team at the University of Calgary. They are using blood samples from men with slow-growing prostate cancer that has not spread outside the prostate to determine if their disease is likely to advance. Learn more about this project from APCaRI and the Prostate cancer Collaborative Research Alliance.

Edmonton’s Step Up Challenge event is actively raising funds to support Dr. Kerry Courneya’s team at the University of Alberta, with 30% of the $65 000 goal reached currently. Dr. Courneya is a Professor and Canada Research Chair in Physical Activity and Cancer and Director of The Behavioral Medicine Laboratory and Fitness Center. This project is being led by doctoral student Dong-woo (Derek) Kang and will study whether exercise can reduce tumour growth and anxiety for men on active surveillance. Learn more about this project that could contribute to delaying, or even eliminating, the need for treatment from the Behavioral Medicine Laboratory and Fitness Center.

Dr. Kerry Courneya

ERASE-Scientific-Abstract

Please support the Edmonton Step Up Challenge 2019 as either a participant, or donor, or both!
The Lewis lab has entered Team Nanosteps into the challenge, check out our fundraising page and support the team by clicking on this link and making a secure online donation using your credit card.

Kerry Courneya’s Behavioral Medicine Lab team is also hitting the stairs, please click here to go to their Step Up Challenge team page to sponsor them with a donation as well!

Thanks in advance for any support you are able to provide. Get your runners and see you on March 17th!

- Perrin Beatty