Unveiling the impact of CD133 and CD105 in MDA-MB-231 cell-derived exosomes on breast cancer cell signaling pathways

Abstract

Recent studies have revealed the critical role of exosomes in cancer progression, particularly aggressive breast cancers. These findings underscore the requirement for further investigation into the mechanisms of exosome-mediated cancer and emphasize the urgency and critical nature of such studies. In the present study, exosomes of MDA-MB-231 cells were isolated from serum-free media using differential ultracentrifugation. Size distribution was assessed using dynamic light scattering, and exosome morphology was examined using scanning electron microscopy. Flow cytometry analysis showed considerable expression of the metastatic markers CD105 and CD133, although cancer cells exhibited low expression of these markers. Exosomes were labeled with Aco-490 and internalized by MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells. The results indicated that post-sorting, CD133-positive exosomes considerably increased the phosphorylation of AKT and extracellular signal-regulated kinase, although they did not have a notable influence on cyclin D1 levels. This study investigated the effects of exosomes on breast cancer, underscoring the requirement for further studies on exosomes that may potentially impede metastasis and tumor growth. © 2025 Cellular and Molecular Biology Association. All rights reserved.