EVCD, Targeting Beta Sheet Richness of Tumor Derived Extracellular Vesicles for Pancreatic Cancer Screening

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer is a deadly disease and a relatively uncommon form of cancer. However, it is projected to be the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the US by 2040. The 5-year survival rate of pancreatic cancer patients is 10 percent. Currently, there are no effective screening methods available. Extracellular vesicles are nanoparticles secreted by all cells and play versatile roles in human health. EVs can be used as a non-invasive biomarker for pancreatic cancer screening since they can be isolated from bodily fluids. Currently, single molecule biomarkers have been proposed for pancreatic cancer screening. They lack sensitivity and specificity. We studied the ‘collective attribute’ of protein secondary structures of EVs from two cancer (MiaPaCa2 and PANC-1) and one healthy cell line (HPNE). Protein secondary structures of EVs were studied using circular dichroism spectroscopy. We found that cancerous EVs contain more beta sheet rich proteins than non-cancerous EVs.