Cancer cell-derived exosomal miRNA induces and reprograms Schwann cells to augment the perineural invasion of salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma

Cancer cell-derived exosomes often serve as important signaling mediators between cancer cells and the local microenvironment. [...]this study aimed to elucidate the reciprocal interplay between cancer cells and Schwann cells via exosomes during cancer PNI and to identify potential therapeutic target for PNI. Transcriptome sequencing and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were performed to unravel the mechanism by which exosomal miRNA reprograms Schwann cells to promote SACC invasion. Based on the volume of the tumor, no statistically significant difference was found between the negative control group and the experimental group (miR-130b-3p agomir pre-treatment) [Supplementary Figure 7D, http://links.lww.com/CM9/C114]. To prove that whether PCSK9 is the key functional gene that leads to the increased invasion ability of SACC cells, a PCSK9 inhibitor was used to inhibit its expression.