Target Cell Reprogramming by

Exosomes derived from Malignant

Oral Keratinocytes
Supervisor: Dr. Muy Teck Teh

Chrisdina P. Sari
150612933
 Introduction
• Exosomes  “mini cells”, Ø 30-150 nm, spherical bilayer proteolipids,
contain proteins, RNA, DNA, intercellular communication, endocytic origin
• “exosomal shuttle RNA”
• Abundant in body fluids i.e serum/ plasma, urine, saliva, breast milk, CSF,
semen
• Exosomal marker  tetraspanins (CD9, CD 63), Alix, and tumor
susceptibility gene 101 (TSG101)

Choi et al., 2013. Mass Spectrometry Reviews

 Role of Exosomes in Cancer

Choi et al., 2013. Mass Spectrometry Reviews

• Cancer exosomes convey signals to non malignant cells, including

stem cells  Ligand-receptor interaction, fusion, internalization
(Valadi,et al., 2007)
• Cancer-derived exosomes change/ modulate the immune response
to promote metastases (Fabbri et al., 2012)
 Current Evidence

• Pancreatic cancer often metastasize to liver 

demonstrated that exosomes play an important role in
regulating the organ specific metastasis (Hoshino et al.,
2005 Nature; Costa-Silva et al., 2015 Nature Cell
Biology)
• Exosome biogenesis is enhanced in cancer  tumor
cells produce and secrete many more exosomes than
normal proliferating cells (Dabitao et al., 2011 J Immunol
Methods)
Cell Culture

Bright-field microscopy
Isolation and Characterisation of
Exosomes

Choi et al., 2013. Mass Spectrometry Reviews

 General Workflow of the Experiment

RNA Extraction
qPCR
+ RT
Measurement
of Level of
Gene
Expression
(Differential
gene
expression)
RNA
Functional
Extraction + qPCR
Transfection
RT

Teh, et al. (2002). Cancer Research, 62

Cvjetkovic et al. (2014) Journal of Extracellular Vesicle, 3 (0)

Preliminary Results
Transmission Electron Microscopy

Exosomes
 Future Plans
• Compare the amount of exosomes derived
from saliva and blood between healthy
individuals and oral cancer patients to
develop a non-invasive diagnostic test
Thank You !