Tumor-derived hypoxic small extracellular vesicles promote endothelial cell migration and tube formation via ALS2/Rab5/β-catenin signaling

Tumor hypoxia has been associated with cancer progression, angiogenesis, and metastasis via modifications in the release and cargo composition of extracellular vesicles secreted by tumor cells. Indeed, hypoxic extracellular vesicles are known to trigger a variety of angiogenic responses via different mechanisms. We recently showed that hypoxia promotes endosomal signaling in tumor cells via HIF-1α-dependent induction of the guanine exchange factor ALS2, which activates Rab5, leading to downstream events involved in cell migration and invasion. Since Rab5-dependent signaling is required for endothelial cell migration and angiogenesis, we explored the possibility that hypoxia promotes the release of small extracellular vesicles containing ALS2, which in turn activate Rab5 in recipient endothelial cells leading to pro-angiogenic properties. In doing so, we found that hypoxia promoted ALS2 expression and incorporation as cargo within small extracellular vesicles, leading to subsequent transfer to recipient endothelial cells and promoting cell migration, tube formation, and downstream Rab5 activation. Consequently, ALS2-containing small extracellular vesicles increased early endosome size and number in recipient endothelial cells, which was followed by subsequent sequestration of components of the β-catenin destruction complex within endosomal compartments, leading to stabilization and nuclear localization of β-catenin. These events converged in the expression of β-catenin target genes involved in angiogenesis. Knockdown of ALS2 in donor tumor cells precluded its incorporation into small extracellular vesicles, preventing Rab5-downstream events and endothelial cell responses, which depended on Rab5 activity and guanine exchange factor activity of ALS2. These findings indicate that vesicular ALS2, secreted in hypoxia, promotes endothelial cell events leading to angiogenesis. Finally, these events might explain how tumor angiogenesis proceeds in hypoxic conditions.