Expression data of Neutrophils treated with CTC Extracellular vesicles

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) found in the blood of pancreatic cancer patients show a worse prognosis to therapy if they are seen in clusters of cells with neutrophils or platelets or with other cell types than when they are seen as singlets. We wanted to investigate if there is a sec-ondary mode of communication between the CTCs and neutrophils that causes them to associ-ate. We describe for the first time an extravesicular (EV) mediated communication between CTCs and neutrophils that modulates early transcriptome changes that can cause neutrophils to partially degranulate and form associations. We also identify the protein cargo carried in such EVs and how when added to naïve neutrophils, they can modulate transcriptomic changes in neutrophils partially disarming them to form clusters rather than undergo specialized cell death, which is characterized by release of condensed chromatin (NETs) and granular contents termed as NETosis We used microarrays to detail the global programme of gene expression in neutrophils identifying neutrophil degranulation and reteplase activity being modulted on exposure to EVs from CTCs. Samples were collected at different minutes post exposure to EVs and transcriptionally profiled to identify gene targets