POTENTIAL OF EXTRACELLULAR MICROVESICLES AS NEW COLORECTAL CANCER BIOMARKER

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer death and the fourth cancer with the highest incidence in the world; early detection is a key factor for patient´s prognosis. Microvesicles (MVs) are subcellular structures delimited by lipid bilayer intimately involved in physiopathological processes such as cancer. Our objective is to study the potential of microvesicles as new biomarkers in CRC. MATERIAL AND METHODS Blood was prospectively collected from 300 patients recruited during diagnostic colonoscopy. They were classified into control (no pathological findings), adenoma, high-grade adenoma or carcinoma groups. Microvesicles were isolated from patients serum and a selected cohort of samples was used for MVs characterization and the CD174 surface antigen detection by lateral flow immunoassay (LFI). RESULTS Mean age of the patients was 62.79 (SD 7.662), being 90% asymptomatic at the time of recruitment. The mean size of isolated microparticles was similar in all groups, although larger variability was observed in carcinoma group. MVs concentration is considerably lower in high-grade adenoma and CRC compared to control group. CRC associated surface antigen CD147 can be consistently detected on the surface of microvesicles by lateral flow immunoassay technique CONCLUSION The preliminary results of this project show that it is possible use MVs as diagnostic / prognostic markers. Likewise, is feasible the develop of rapid tests using IFL technology that could be used to complement and/or replace current detection techniques.