Comparative metabolomics of serum and serum extracellular vesicles of melanoma and triple-negative breast cancer utilizing biobank samples
- 1Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki
- 2School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland
- 3Finnish Red Cross Blood Service
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs), abundant in circulation and obtainable through liquid biopsy, carry metabolites that reflect both the activity of EVs and state of the cells of origin. Thereby, metabolomics offers a sensitive means to detect dynamic changes associated with cancer. We compared serum and matched serum-derived EV metabolite profiles from patients with melanoma or triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and age- and sex-matched cancer-free controls to evaluate the suitability of biobank serum samples and the corresponding EVs to identify cancer-type -associated metabolic alterations. For untargeted metabolomics and metabolite/pathway identification, EVs were isolated from biobank-derived serum samples by size-exclusion chromatography and ultrafiltration, and preanalytical variables of samples were monitored according to Minimal Information for Blood EV research guidelines. More metabolite differences were found between patients and controls in melanoma than in TNBC. Melanoma serum contained reduced levels of several metabolite groups (amino acids, lipids, and organic acids), whereas melanoma EVs were enriched in polyunsaturated phospholipids. In TNBC, serum contained increased levels of long-chain fatty acid amides, while EVs showed no significant metabolite alterations. These results demonstrate that serum and EVs offer complementary metabolite information, and biobank samples are suitable for EV metabolomics. Monitoring and recording preanalytical factors will enable improved cross-study comparability and biomarker validation.
Related
- Intercellular Transfer of CD155 Mediated by Melanoma Extracellular Vesicles Downregulates DNAM-1 Expression on NK Cells.
- Epithelial-endothelial barrier dysfunction and oxidative stress in ARDS subphenotypes: comparative efficacy of extracellular vesicles derived from bone marrow (MSC-EVs) and adipose tissue (ASC-EVs) mesenchymal stem cells
- Systemically delivered Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron-derived bacterial extracellular vesicles inhibit primary and metastatic melanoma growth
- Not All Extracellular Vesicles Are Equal: A Narrative Comparative Review of Source-Dependent Function and Therapeutic Potential.
- Human salivary extracellular vesicles: A comparative study of isolation techniques
BibTeX
@article{tavukcuoglu2026comparative,
title = {{Comparative metabolomics of serum and serum extracellular vesicles of melanoma and triple-negative breast cancer utilizing biobank samples}},
author = {Zeynep Tavukcuoglu and Olli Kärkkäinen and Reijo Käkelä and Seppo Auriola and Saara Laitinen and Mari Palviainen and Pia R.-M. Siljander},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-63395-1},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-63395-1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Comparative metabolomics of serum and serum extracellular vesicles of melanoma and triple-negative breast cancer utilizing biobank samples
AU - Zeynep Tavukcuoglu
AU - Olli Kärkkäinen
AU - Reijo Käkelä
AU - Seppo Auriola
AU - Saara Laitinen
AU - Mari Palviainen
AU - Pia R.-M. Siljander
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/01
JO - Scientific Reports
DO - 10.1038/s41598-026-63395-1
UR - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-63395-1
AB - Extracellular vesicles (EVs), abundant in circulation and obtainable through liquid biopsy, carry metabolites that reflect both the activity of EVs and state of the cells of origin. Thereby, metabolomics offers a sensitive means to detect dynamic changes associated with cancer. We compared serum and matched serum-derived EV metabolite profiles from patients with melanoma or triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and age- and sex-matched cancer-free controls to evaluate the suitability of biobank serum samples and the corresponding EVs to identify cancer-type -associated metabolic alterations. For untargeted metabolomics and metabolite/pathway identification, EVs were isolated from biobank-derived serum samples by size-exclusion chromatography and ultrafiltration, and preanalytical variables of samples were monitored according to Minimal Information for Blood EV research guidelines. More metabolite differences were found between patients and controls in melanoma than in TNBC. Melanoma serum contained reduced levels of several metabolite groups (amino acids, lipids, and organic acids), whereas melanoma EVs were enriched in polyunsaturated phospholipids. In TNBC, serum contained increased levels of long-chain fatty acid amides, while EVs showed no significant metabolite alterations. These results demonstrate that serum and EVs offer complementary metabolite information, and biobank samples are suitable for EV metabolomics. Monitoring and recording preanalytical factors will enable improved cross-study comparability and biomarker validation.
SN - 2045-2322
ER -