Fig. 7

(A) Schematic representation of the experimental design. Protein cargo differences were identified in EVs from the different cell lines, then labeled EVs were injected retro-orbitally into NOD-SCID mice for each cell line; finally, EV organ distribution was analyzed after 24 h. (B) Representative images of EV uptake in the femur, brain, lungs, kidneys, intestine and liver. C to H) Mean signal intensity distributions. The uptake of EVs from CTC-MCC-41.4 and 41.5G cells was significantly greater in the kidneys, femurs, liver and lungs than in the other colon cancer cell lines and the control (PBS). EVs from CTC-MCC-41.4 and 41.5G preferentially accumulate in the liver and lungs, indicating higher potential for metastasis that might be associated to the time-point of progression despite therapy (One way ANOVA test in panels F [p < 0.0001], G [p = 0.000332] and H [p = 0.9174]; Kruskal‒Wallis test in panels C [p = 0.00154], D [p = 0.171], and E [p = 0.00062]; P < 0.01 for significance) (post hoc analysis in panels C, D, E, F, G, and H, *P < 0.05, ** P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, ns = not significant)