Objective  To investigate the effects of the MKN-45 gastric cancer cell exosomes carrying microRNA-552 (miR-552) on the proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Methods  ① The MKN-45 cells were divided into MKN-45 blank control group (no transfection), MKN-45 miR-552 inhibitor group [transfection of plasmid inhibiting mir-552 expression (mir-552 inhibitor plasmid)], and MKN-45 negative control group [transfection of negative control plasmid (empty plasmid)], the exosomes were extracted, purified, and identified. Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression of exosomal markers [CD63, CD9, and tumor susceptibility gene 101 (TSG101)]. ② The HUVEC cells were divided into HUVEC control group (added PBS), HUVEC-exosome group (co-cultured with exosomes of MKN-45 cell), HUVEC-negative control exosome group (co-cultured with exosomes of MKN-45 cell transfected with negative control plasmid), and HUVEC-miR-552 inhibitor exosome group (co-cultured with exosomes of MKN-45 cell transfected with miR-552 inhibitor plasmid), exosomes tracing experiment was used to detect whether exosomes entered HUVEC cells. Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR method was used to detect the expression of miR-552, the MTT method was used to detect the proliferation of HUVEC cells, the Transwell chamber method was used to detect the migration of HUVEC cells, the angiogenesis test was used to detect the angiogenesis ability. Results  This study successfully extracted exosomes from MKN-45 gastric cancer cells. Observed by transmission electron microscope, the exosomes were all round or elliptical, with a diameter of 100–150 nm, and the exosomal vesicle structure could be seen. Western blotting detection showed that the surface markers of exosomes (CD63, CD9, and TSG101 protein) were expressed in exosomes. The results of the tracing experiment showed that exosomes derived from MKN-45 cells were successfully internalized by HUVEC cells. After MKN-45 cells were transfected with miR-552 inhibitor plasmid, compared with the MKN-45 blank control group and MKN-45 negative control group, the relative expression level of miR-552 in the exosomes decreased (P<0.05). Compared with the HUVEC control group, the cell proliferation rate at 24, 48 and 74 h increased, as well as number of migration, tubule formation nodes, and relative expression level of miR-552 in the HUVEC-exosomes group increased (P<0.05). Compared with the HUVEC-negative control exosome group, the cell proliferation rate at 24, 48 and 74 h decreased, as well as the number of migration, tubule formation nodes, and relative expression level of miR-552 in the HUVEC-miR-552 inhibitor exosome group decreased (P<0.05). Conclusion  The exosomes of gastric cancer cells carrying miR-552 can significantly promote the proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of HUVEC cells.

Citation： LIU Zhu, TIAN Shengwei, SHI Shouxing, XU Chunjin. Effects of gastric cancer cell exosomes carrying miR-552 on the proliferation, migration, andangiogenesis of HUVEC cells. CHINESE JOURNAL OF BASES AND CLINICS IN GENERAL SURGERY, 2022, 29(6): 719-725. doi: 10.7507/1007-9424.202108082 Copy