Exosomes, cell-derived vesicles of endosomal origin, are continuously released in the extracellular environment and play a key role in intercellular crosstalk. In this study, we have investigated whether transfer of
integrins through exosomes between
prostate cancer (PrCa) cells occurs and whether transferred
integrins promote cell adhesion and migration. Among others, we have focused on the αvβ6
integrin, which is not detectable in normal human prostate but is highly expressed in human primary PrCa as well as murine PrCa in Pten(pc-/-) mice. After confirming the fidelity of the exosome preparations by electron microscopy, density gradient, and immunoblotting, we determined that the αvβ6
integrin is actively packaged into exosomes isolated from PC3 and RWPE PrCa cell lines. We also demonstrate that αvβ6 is efficiently transferred via exosomes from a donor cell to an αvβ6-negative recipient cell and localizes to the cell surface. De novo αvβ6 expression in an αvβ6-negative recipient cell is not a result of a change in
mRNA levels but is a consequence of exosome-mediated transfer of this
integrin between different PrCa cells. Recipient cells incubated with exosomes containing αvβ6 migrate on an αvβ6 specific substrate, latency-associated
peptide-TGFβ, to a greater extent than cells treated with exosomes in which αvβ6 is stably or transiently down-regulated by
shRNA or
siRNA, respectively. Overall, this study shows that exosomes from PrCa cells may contribute to a horizontal propagation of
integrin-associated phenotypes, which would promote cell migration, and consequently,
metastasis in a paracrine fashion.