Background: Oral cancer causes approximately 7,800 annual deaths and has an average range of 5-year mortality rate between 53% and 56%. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent cells that differentiate into several cell types. Due to the fact that they can be recruited at sites of inflammation and tissue repair, the role of MSCs in regenerative medicine and their potential use as tools for gene delivery have been extensively studied. Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (MSC-derived exosomes) are expected to be a potential treatment method for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC). MSC-derived exosomes might play a significant role in the tumor microenvironment, particularly affecting tumor vasculature, metastatic potential and progression.
Aim: To determine the efficacy of exosomes derived from MSCs on HNSCC cell line in respect to metastasis by evaluating the expression of CRKI.
Material and Methods: laryngeal cell line (HEp-2) was cultured for 24 and 48 hours with two different doses of exosomes (10ng/ml and 20ng/ml) obtained from adipose derived MSCs. Western blot and electron microscopy were used to characterize and image the exosomes. To act as a control, a set of cells was left untreated. The potential anti-metastatic effect of the exosomal cargo were investigated by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) through the measurement of (CRKI) gene expression levels in cultured HEp-2 cells following exosome absorption.
Results: MSC-derived exosomes reduced the viability of HEp-2 cells in a dosage and time-dependent manner. In treated HEp-2 cells, exosomes drastically reduced CRKI gene expression.