Discovered the camouflage used by tumor cells in the bloodstream to avoid being detected

The Liquid Biopsy and Cancer Interception research group integrated in the Biosanitary Research Institute of Granada (ibs.GRANADA), has discovered that tumor cells pass themselves off as platelets so as not to be detected in the bloodstream. This finding is a paradigm shift in terms of the development of the metastatic process and may contribute not only to a better understanding of the tumor process, but also to the development of treatments aimed at intercepting the process of tumor dissemination and, therefore, of the appearance of metastasis.

Metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-related death, due to the release of tumor cells from a primary tumor into the bloodstream where they can travel to another organ and create a secondary tumor. These cells are known as Circulating Tumor Cells (CTC) and despite being known for their prognostic and predictive value, little is known about their biology. CTCs are capable not only of detaching from the tumor mass, but also of surviving the attack of the immune system and colonizing distant organs.

This team of scientists from ibs.GRANADA, the University of Granada, GENYO and the Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital in Granada, have demonstrated for the first time that platelets are capable of transferring biomolecules such as lipids, proteins and RNA to CTCs, helping them to go unnoticed in the bloodstream. In other words, tumor cells take part of the configuration of platelets to make the body believe that they are platelets and trick it to conquer other organs.

Therefore, this research work from Granada shows how platelets can phenotypically, genetically and functionally modify tumor cells, indicating which ones could play a crucial role in metastasis by interacting with and modifying CTCs.

This work, led by Dr. Maria José Serrano, researcher of the Nicolás Monardes program at the GENyO Center and Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital, has been the result of collaboration with Dr Pedro Real of the University of Granada and the renowned Oncologist, Dr. Christian Rolfo of the Center for Thoracic Oncology at the Tisch Cancer Institute of Mount Sinai, member of the external advisory committee of ibs.GRANADA, and Dr. Cristofanilli of the Robert H Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center.

About the research group

The ibs.GRANADA Liquid Biopsy and Cancer Interception research group is led by Dr. José Expósito Hernández and Dr. Maria José Serrano. It is an active research group with multiple collaborations with research groups, at the regional, national and international. Its intention is to relate clinical and basic knowledge in a useful orientation for patients and for the evaluation of health services.

More information about the group at https://www.ibsgranada.es/grupos-de-investigacion/a06-oncologia-radioterapica/

https://www.genyo.es/research-groups/liquid-biopsy-cancer-interception/?lang=en

Bibliographic reference:

Rodriguez-Martinez A, Simon-Saez I, Perales S, Garrido-Navas C, Russo A, de Miguel-Perez D, Puche-Sanz I, Alaminos C, Ceron J, Lorente JA, Molina MP, Gonzalez C, Cristofanilli M, Ortigosa-Palomo A, Real PJ, Rolfo C, Serrano MJ. Exchange of cellular components between platelets and tumor cells: impact on tumor cells behavior. Theranostics 2022; 12(5):2150-2161. doi:10.7150/thno.64ilable from https://www.thno.org/v12p2150.htm