A4: The role of extracellular vesicles in the formation of lung metastases (Prof. Pogge von Strandman)
Subproject A4 focuses on the role of extracellular vesicles (exosomes) that are released by tumor cells and stimulate normal lung tissue to form a pre-metastatic niche that is susceptible to the intrapulmonary spread of lung tumor cells but also to the metastasis of other tumor entities to the lung. Furthermore, tumor cells reprogram anti-tumorigenic immune cells, such as macrophages, to a phenotype that promotes tumor progression.
