Circulating melanoma exosomes as diagnostic and prognosis biomarkers

Malignant melanoma is an aggressive cancer with an increasing incidence. Exosomes are actively secreted microvesicles, whose characteristics reflect those of the cell they are originated in. The aim of this study was to identify and evaluate the presence of the melanoma biomarkers MIA, S100B and tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TYRP2) in exosomes and their potential clinical utility. Serum samples were obtained from stage IV melanoma patients, melanoma-free patients and healthy controls. Exosomes were precipitated and TYRP2, MIA and S100B concentrations were quantified in serum, exosomes, and exosome-free serum. Both MIA and S100B were detected in exosomes and correlated significantly with serum concentrations (S100B: r=0.968; MIA: r=0.799; p