Abstract
Recently, the role of exosomes in the progression of both cancer and HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) has been described. This study investigates the clinical significance of CD9-positive plasma exosomes in lung cancer patients, healthy individuals, and HIV-positive patients with or without lung cancer. Using a verified with transmission electron microscopy double-sandwich ELISA technique, plasma-derived exosomes were isolated and quantified from 210 lung cancer patients (including 44 metastatic patients with progressive disease after chemotherapy), 49 healthy controls, 20 patients with pulmonary granulomas, 19 HIV+ patients with lung cancer, 31 HIV+ patients without cancer, and 3 HIV+ patients with pulmonary granulomas. Plasma exosome concentrations differed between healthy controls, patients with immunocompetent pulmonary granulomas and patients with lung cancer even after chemotherapy (p < 0.001). Lung cancer patients after chemotherapy had lower exosome concentrations compared to patients with untreated lung cancer or granuloma (p < 0.001 for both). HIV+ patients without lung cancer had significantly higher exosome concentrations compared to HIV+ patients with lung cancer (p = 0.016). Although exosome concentrations differed between all different lung cancer histologies and healthy controls (p < 0.001 for all histologies), adjusted statistical significance was oµy retained for patients with granulomas and SCLC (Small-cell lung cancer, p < 0.001). HIV-induced immunodeficient patients with or without lung cancer had lower plasma exosomes compared to immunocompetent granuloma and lung cancer patients (p < 0.001). Finally, higher plasma exosomes were associated both on univariate (p = 0.044), and multivariate analysis (p = 0.040) with a better 3-year survival in stage II and III NSCLC (Non-small-cell lung carcinoma) patients. In conclusion, our study shows that CD9-positive plasma exosomes are associated with both lung cancer and HIV, prior chemotherapy, as well as with survival, suggesting a possible prognostic value.