Peritoneal adipose stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles mediate the regulation of ovarian cancer cell proliferation and migration through EGFR-NF-κB signaling

Peritoneal dissemination frequently develops in patients with ovarian cancer (OC) and is associated with recurrence and metastasis. However, the cellular components and mechanisms supporting OC peritoneal metastasis are poorly understood. To elucidate these, we utilized RNA sequencing to investigate the cellular composition and function. Insights from transcriptome analyses suggested that OC cells from malignant ascites persisted in a quiescent state of low metabolic activity and after metastases to the peritoneum, arrested OC cells were reactivated and induced back to the cell cycle, suggesting that the peritoneum served as a favor tumor microenvironment. To elucidate the mechanisms, we then developed long-range migration and competitive inhibition assays and showed that peritoneal adipose-derived stem cells-derived extracellular vesicles (ADSCs-EVs) mediated preferential migration of OC cells toward peritoneal ADSCs but not other representative cells from the peritoneal cavity. In line with phenotypic changes, transcriptomic analysis revealed that patient peritoneal ADSCs-EVs stimulated the expression of numerous genes associated with OC cell proliferation and migration; among them, the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways were highly enriched. We also found that peritoneal ADSCs produced and secreted key EGFR signaling molecules, including EGF and EGFR, into ADSCs-EVs. Upon fusion with OC cells, ADSCs-EVs up-regulated the EGFR-NF-κB axis and promoted OC cell proliferation and migration. Interference with either ADSCs-EVs production or EGFR signaling abolished the proliferation and migration effect. The results show that ADSCs modulate OC cell proliferation and migration at multiple layers, constituting a key mechanism in OC progression.