Calibrated flow cytometry enables rapid detection of CD45−EpCAM+ extracellular vesicles for pancreatic cancer clinical assessment
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Reliable non-invasive biomarkers are needed to optimize treatment selection and enable real-time monitoring of pancreatic cancer (PC). We developed a bead-calibrated, multiparametric flow cytometry (FC) protocol to detect, enumerate, and subtype circulating intact extracellular vesicles (EVs) in blood. Among 120 individuals analyzed by this platform, patients with PC had significantly higher levels of CD45 − EpCAM + EVs than controls. These EVs correlated positively with advanced tumor stage, while their combination with serum CA19-9 improved monitoring accuracy in an exploratory cohort. Findings were supported by two PC mouse models, in which circulating CD45 − EpCAM + EVs correlated with tumor volume. Remarkably, high baseline levels were associated with chemotherapy non-response and shorter overall survival. Overall, this practical, bead-calibrated FC method identified circulating CD45 − EpCAM + EVs as a promising biomarker candidate for PC. The platform may facilitate robust detection of new circulating EV markers and support disease monitoring and treatment stratification.
Source: iScience
Authors: Rosalba Florio, Laura De Lellis, Serena Veschi, Alessia Lamolinara, Anna Piro, Serena Pilato, Francesca D’Ascanio, Giulia Colasante, Arianna Aquilini Mummolo, Pasquale Simeone, Pietro Di Marino, Antonino Grassadonia, Michele De Tursi, Marta Caporale, Gianluca Russo, Tommaso Grottola, Fabio Francesco Di Mola, Rossella Crescitelli, Dimitri Luisi, Mauro Di Ianni, Pierluigi Di Sebastiano, Manuela Iezzi, Nicola Tinari, Alessandro Cama, Paola Lanuti, Davide Brocco
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,240
OpenAlex ID: W7223821066