[HTML][HTML] Tumour microvesicles contain retrotransposon elements and amplified oncogene sequences

L Balaj, R Lessard, L Dai, YJ Cho, SL Pomeroy… - Nature …, 2011 - nature.com
L Balaj, R Lessard, L Dai, YJ Cho, SL Pomeroy, XO Breakefield, J Skog
Nature communications, 2011nature.com
Tumour cells release an abundance of microvesicles containing a selected set of proteins
and RNAs. Here, we show that tumour microvesicles also carry DNA, which reflects the
genetic status of the tumour, including amplification of the oncogene c-Myc. We also find
amplified c-Myc in serum microvesicles from tumour-bearing mice. Further, we find
remarkably high levels of retrotransposon RNA transcripts, especially for some human
endogenous retroviruses, such as LINE-1 and Alu retrotransposon elements, in tumour …
Abstract
Tumour cells release an abundance of microvesicles containing a selected set of proteins and RNAs. Here, we show that tumour microvesicles also carry DNA, which reflects the genetic status of the tumour, including amplification of the oncogene c-Myc. We also find amplified c-Myc in serum microvesicles from tumour-bearing mice. Further, we find remarkably high levels of retrotransposon RNA transcripts, especially for some human endogenous retroviruses, such as LINE-1 and Alu retrotransposon elements, in tumour microvesicles and these transposable elements could be transferred to normal cells. These findings expand the nucleic acid content of tumour microvesicles to include: elevated levels of specific coding and non-coding RNA and DNA, mutated and amplified oncogene sequences and transposable elements. Thus, tumour microvesicles contain a repertoire of genetic information available for horizontal gene transfer and potential use as blood biomarkers for cancer.
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