Protein Profiling of Extracellular Vesicles Associated With Cisplatin Resistance in Lung Cancer

Background/Aim: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) can mediate drug resistance within the tumor microenvironment by delivering bioactive molecules, including proteins. Here, we performed a comparative proteomic analysis of EVs secreted by A549 lung cancer cells and their cisplatin-resistant counterparts in order to identify proteins involved in drug resistance. Materials and Methods: Cells were co-cultivated using a transwell system to evaluate EV exchange. EVs were isolated by ultracentrifugation and analyzed using microscopy and nanoparticle tracking. EV proteome was analyzed by mass spectrometry. Results: EV-mediated communication was observed between co-cultured A549 and A549/CDDP cells. EVs isolated from both cells were mainly exosome-like structures. Extracellular matrix components, cell adhesion proteins, complement factors, histones, proteasome subunits and membrane transporters were found enriched in the EVs released by cisplatin-resistant cells. Conclusion: Proteins identified in this work may have a relevant role in modulating the chemosensitivity of the recipient cells and could represent useful biomarkers to monitor cisplatin response in lung cancer.