Extracellular vesicles from blood of breast cancer women induce angiogenic processes in HUVECs.

Breast cancer is the most frequent malignancy among women in developed countries and the main cause of death related to cancer in women worldwide. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are vesicles with a variable size enclosed within a phospholipid bilayer that contain a variety of molecules with biological activity. Cancer cells release EVs that induce proliferation, escape from apoptosis, reprogramming energy metabolism, invasion and metastasis. In this study we studied whether EV fractions deprived of platelet EVs from breast cancer women (BC EVs) can mediate cell processes related with angiogenesis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Our findings demonstrate that BC EVs enhance migration, invasion and formation of new tubules in HUVECs, compared with EV fractions deprived of platelet EVs from healthy women (Ctrl EVs). In summary, we demonstrate, for the first time, that BC EVs induce cellular processes in HUVECs that participate in angiogenesis.

Circulating extracellular vesicles from patients with breast cancer enhance migration and invasion via a Src­dependent pathway in MDA­MB­231 breast cancer cells.

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a breast cancer subtype associated with high rates of metastasis, heterogeneity, drug resistance and a poor prognosis. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are vesicles of endosomal and plasma membrane origin, and are secreted by healthy and cancer cells. In cancer, EVs contribute to tumor progression by mediating escape from the immune system surveillance, and are involved in extracellular matrix degradation, invasion, angiogenesis, migration and metastasis. Furthermore, EVs have been identified in several human fluids. However, the role of EVs from patients with breast cancer in the migration and invasion of human breast cancer cells is not fully understood. The present study investigated whether EVs isolated from Mexican patients with breast cancer can induce cellular processes related to invasion in breast cancer. Moreover, plasma fractions enriched in EVs and deprived of platelet­derived EVs obtained from blood samples of 32 Mexican patients with biopsy­diagnosed breast cancer at different clinical stages who had not received treatment were analyzed. Furthermore, one control group was included, which consisted of 20 Mexican healthy females. The present results demonstrated that EVs from women with breast cancer promote migration and invasion, and increase matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)­2 and MMP­9 secretion in TNBC MDA­MB­231 cells. In addition, it was found that EVs from patients with breast cancer induced Src and focal adhesion kinase activation, and focal adhesions assembly with an increase in focal adhesions number, while the migration and invasion was dependent on Src activity. Collectively, EVs from Mexican patients with breast cancer induce migration and invasion via a Src­dependent pathway in TNBC MDA­MB­231 cells.

Heparina en quemaduras de segundo grado profundo en un modelo murino / Heparin in a deep second degree burn in a murine model

Objetivo: Demostrar los efectos de la heparina tópica e intraperitoneal en la recuperación de quemaduras de segundo grado en un modelo murino. Sede: Centro Médico Nacional ''20 de Noviembre'' del ISSSTE. Diseño: Estudio experimental. Análisis estadístico: t de Student. Material y métodos: Se estudiaron tres grupos de cinco ratas cada uno, a las que se les produjo una quemadura por escaldadura de segundo grado en el dorso, del 10% de la superficie corporal. Al grupo control se le aplicaron 5 ml de solución salina en la zona quemada al día durante 30 días. Al segundo grupo se le aplicó heparina en la zona quemada y un tercer grupo recibió heparina intraperitoneal y solución salina en la quemadura. Se obtuvieron biopsias de la zona quemada, se realizaron determinaciones de fosfatasa alcalina y se tomaron fotografías en los días 0, 15 y 30 posteriores a la quemadura. Se demostró, por biopsia, el grado de la zona quemada similar en los tres grupos. Resultados: Cuando las ratas recibieron heparina, tópica o en el peritoneo, tuvieron una curación más temprana (50% más rápida) y con menos cicatrices que el grupo control. Los niveles de fosfatasa alcalina mostraron una respuesta inflamatoria mayor en el grupo control. Todas las diferencias fueron significativas P < 0.05. Conclusiones: La heparina administrada en el peritoneo o de manera tópica en grupos similares de ratas con quemaduras de segundo grado indujo cicatrización en la mitad del tiempo con menos inflamación y mejor recuperación epitelial en comparación con ratas quemadas de modo similar tratadas con solución salina sin heparina.

Objective: To demonstrate the effects of heparin topically or intraperitoneally applied on the recovery from second degree burns in a murine model. Setting: Third level health care center Centro Médico Nacional ''20 de Noviembre'', ISSSTE. Design: Experimental study. Statistical analysis: t de Student. Material and methods: We studied three groups of five rats each in which a second-degree thermal burn was produced on their back, 10% of the body surface. The control group received 5 ml of saline solution on the burned area per day during 30 days; the second group received heparin and the third group received intraperitoneally applied heparin and saline solution applied topically on the burn. A biopsy of the burned area was obtained, alkaline phosphatase was determined, and photographs were taken at days 0, 15, and 30 after causing the burn. Biopsy demonstrated a similar dermal burn degree in the three groups. Results: When rats received heparin, either topically or peritoneally, they had a faster healing (50% faster) and with less scars than the control group. Level of alkaline phosphatase revealed a higher inflammatory response in the control group. All differences were significant at P < 0.05. Conclusions: Heparin, administered either in the peritoneum or topically in similar groups of rats with second degree burns, induced wound healing in half the time with less inflammation, and better epithelial recovery than treatment with saline solution without heparin.