Tumor-Derived Exosomes Promote Tumor Growth Through Modulating Microvascular Hemodynamics in a Human Ovarian Cancer Xenograft Model

Objective

Abnormal tumor vascular network contributes to aberrant blood perfusion and reduced oxygenation in tumors, which lead to poor efficacy of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. We aimed to explore the effects of the tumor-derived exosomes (TDEs) and C188-9 (a small molecule inhibitor of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, STAT3) on tumor microvascular hemodynamics and determine which blood flow oscillations for various frequency intervals are responsible for these changes.

Methods

Microvascular hemodynamics parameters were recorded using a PeriFlux 6000 EPOS system in tumor surface in a nude mouse subcutaneous xenograft model. Oscillations of laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) signal were investigated by wavelet transform analysis.

Results

TDEs facilitated tumor growth at least partially was associated with increasing blood flow in smaller vessels with lower speed and decreasing the blood flow at larger vessels with higher speed. Lower oxyhemoglobin saturation (SO₂) on tumor surface was aggravated by TDEs, and C188-9 treatment significantly alleviated this decrease. Wavelet transform spectral analysis revealed that TDEs increased the amplitude of oscillations in four frequency intervals related to endothelial (NO-dependent and -independent), myogenic and neurogenic activities, and C188-9 had no effect on this increase.

Conclusions

TDEs facilitated tumor growth partially was associated with increasing blood flow in distributing vessels, reducing blood perfusion in larger vessels, and lowering SO₂ on tumor surface. Enhanced vascular smooth muscle, endothelial and neurogenic activities occurred in tumor superficial zone.