Bhubaneswar: Extracellular vesicles (EVs), a tiny packet/pouch released by cells in body to communicate with other cells, have the potential to change the way cancer is treated at present. Keeping this in mind, researchers from ILS-Bhubaneswar, AIIMS-Delhi and other institutions of the country are conducting research on EVs for better understanding about the disease progression, targeted drug delivery and therapeutics.An international conference was conducted from April 2 to 4 to explore the potential of EVs in the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases, including cancer.Professor of Stem Cell Facility, AIIMS-Delhi, Dr Sujata Mohanty, said there are three important utilities of EVs. “Instead of doing frequent PET-CT, MRI and CT scan, we can test cancer-specific EVs and detect their growth or reduction to get idea about the progression of cancerous tumour in body,” she said.She added EVs transport proteins, lipids and nucleic acids, influencing recipient cell function. “It plays a vital role in disease progression. We are thinking that if we target these EVs, the tiny but powerful careers, the spread of cancer or infection can be controlled in body. Cancer cells also produce EVs and spread it to other parts,” she said.Mohanty further said EVs can be used for delivering drug to specific cancerous tumours so that other body parts are saved from toxicity of medicines. “We know EVs have proteins, lipids and nucleic acids received from parent cells, but we can add drugs into these EVs and inject it into body. It can be used in targeted drug delivery to destroy cancer cells,” she said.The researchers of ILS-Bhubaneswar, led by scientist Mamoni Dash, are working on delivering drug by using EV for bone cancer cases. Cell biologists are trying to understand the role, function and characters of the EV, the process of isolating this and to get this in large quantity. “We are working on different aspects of EVs of bone cells including its regenerative potential. We have also found out some specific micro RNAs in EVs, which can enhance the healing process of bone,” she said.She added her team is looking into using these bone-derived EVs as drug delivery vehicles for bone cancer. “After finding bone healing potential of these EVs, we worked on loading drugs into these vesicles to inject into the bloodstream. Before that, we coated the EV with protein content, including folic acid, so that it will automatically attach with the protein of cancerous cell and release the drugs,” she said.Dash has received patent for this process. Even plant cells release EVs and these can be used as medicines in future, she said.
