OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of exosomes derived from renal cancer cell line ACHN on the proliferation and apoptosis of ACHN cells and explore the mechanism.

METHODSExosomes derived from ACHN cells were separated and purified by ultrafiltration and sucrose gradient centrifugation. The effects of the exosomes on the proliferation and apoptosis of ACHN cells were analyzed with CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The changes of mRNA and protein expressions of cyclin D1, caspase-3 were examined using RT-PCR and Western blotting, and the changes in the protein expression of p-Akt and p-ERK1/2 were detected with Western blotting.

RESULTSExosomes were successfully purified by ultrafiltration and sucrose gradient centrifugation. Compared with the control cells, ACHN cells treated with the exosomes showed enhanced proliferative activity with suppressed cell apoptosis. Exosomes treatment upregulated cyclinD1 mRNA and protein expression, down-regulated caspase-3 protein expression without affecting caspase-3 mRNA expression, and upregulated the expression of p-Akt and p-ERK1/2.

CONCLUSIONExosomes can promote the growth and proliferation and inhibit the apoptosis of renal cancer cell line ACHN. Removal of the exosomes from the microenvironment of renal cancer or inhibition of its function can be new strategies for treatment of renal cancer.