Tiny Cellular Messengers Show promise in Blocking Lung Cancer Spread
COLUMBIA, MO – Researchers at the University of Missouri have discovered a potential new strategy for targeted lung cancer treatment, focusing on manipulating extracellular vesicles (EVs)- microscopic packages cells use to communicate. The findings, published in Molecular Therapy oncology, suggest a way to not only halt tumor growth but also deliver cancer-killing therapies directly to diseased cells.
EVs, released by all cells including cancer cells, are approximately 3,000 times thinner than a human hair. While EVs from healthy cells promote well-being,those from cancer cells can accelerate tumor growth and treatment resistance.
Akhil Srivastava, an assistant professor in the School of Medicine, found that EVs produced by lung cancer cells contain elevated levels of the protein CD81 compared to those from healthy cells, suggesting CD81’s role in cancer spread.In a recent study,Srivastava’s team used siRNA-tiny pieces of genetic material-to instruct lung cancer cells to stop producing CD81. This “silencing” of the protein resulted in EVs that helped shrink tumors, confirming CD81’s contribution to tumor progression.
“Once we discover more about all the biomolecular details these EVs carry from one cell to another, we can engineer them to deliver the information we want them to deliver to certain cells,” Srivastava said.
The team is also exploring EVs as a drug delivery system.In a related study, Srivastava successfully loaded siRNA into modified EVs, directing them to kill lung cancer cells while sparing healthy ones in a preclinical model.
“Since chemotherapy kills both healthy cells and cancer cells, and expensive immunotherapy doesn’t work for all patients, there is a big desire for more targeted cancer therapies. We believe tiny EVs can play a huge role in the solution,” Srivastava stated.
The research is available in Molecular Therapy Oncology (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.omton.2025.201037).
