New Technologies for Analysis of Extracellular Vesicles

Exosomes derived from mir-337-3p over-expressing tendon stem cells protect against apoptosis of tenocytes via targeting caspase3

BACKGROUND

Tendons are important dense fibrous structures connecting muscle to bone, and tendon stem cells (TDSCs) affect their repair and regeneration. The role of TDSC-derived exosomes (TDSC-Exos) is still being unexplored; therefore, this study aimed to investigate the protective effect of TDSC-Exos on tenocytes.

METHODS

The TDSCs and tenocytes were all derived from Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. The expression of positive and negative markers of TDSCs were detected by flow cytometry, and the multi-differentiation ability was also detected to identify TDSCs. Exos were derived from TDSCs using ultracentrifugation; furthermore, Exos enriched with microRNA(miR)-377-3p were generated from TDSCs stably overexpressing miR-377-3p after transfection, identified with transmission electron microscopy (TEM), western blot and PKH26 staining assay. Moreover, the cell functions of tenocytes were evaluated by MTT, EdU, transwell, and flow cytometry. Dual luciferase reporter and RNA pull-down assays were used to verify the binding sites of miR-337-3p and caspase3 (CASP3) predicted by Targetscan.

RESULTS

Exos (miR-337-3p) were taken up by tenocytes, and promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion and suppressed the apoptosis of tenocytes in a dose-dependent manner. Bioinformatics analysis showed that CASP3 was a target of miR-377-3p, which was further verified by luciferase and RNA pull-down assays. Moreover, over-expressed CASP3 reversed the effects of Exos (miR-337-3p) on cell functions of tenocytes.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that Exos derived from miR-337-3p over-expressing TDSCs could potentially protect against tenocyte apoptosis by regulating CASP3. This novel therapeutic approach holds promise for the treatment of tendon injury, offering a glimmer of hope for improved patient outcomes.

Exosomes repairment for sciatic nerve injury: a cell-free therapy

Sciatic nerve injury (SNI) is a common type of peripheral nerve injury typically resulting from trauma, such as contusion, sharp force injuries, drug injections, pelvic fractures, or hip dislocations. It leads to both sensory and motor dysfunctions, characterized by pain, numbness, loss of sensation, muscle atrophy, reduced muscle tone, and limb paralysis. These symptoms can significantly diminish a patient's quality of life. Following SNI, Wallerian degeneration occurs, which activates various signaling pathways, inflammatory factors, and epigenetic regulators. Despite the availability of several surgical and nonsurgical treatments, their effectiveness remains suboptimal. Exosomes are extracellular vesicles with diameters ranging from 30 to 150 nm, originating from the endoplasmic reticulum. They play a crucial role in facilitating intercellular communication and have emerged as highly promising vehicles for drug delivery. Increasing evidence supports the significant potential of exosomes in repairing SNI. This review delves into the pathological progression of SNI, techniques for generating exosomes, the molecular mechanisms behind SNI recovery with exosomes, the effectiveness of combining exosomes with other approaches for SNI repair, and the changes and future outlook for utilizing exosomes in SNI recovery.

Ultrasensitive quantification of PD-L1+ extracellular vesicles in melanoma patient plasma using a parallelized high throughput droplet digital assay

The expression of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) on extracellular vesicles (EVs) is an emerging biomarker for cancer, and has gained particular interest for its role mediating immunotherapy. However, precise quantification of PD-L1+ EVs in clinical samples remains challenging due to their sparse concentration and the enormity of the number of background EVs in human plasma, limiting applicability of conventional approaches. In this study, we develop a high-throughput droplet-based extracellular vesicle analysis (DEVA) assay for ultrasensitive quantification of EVs in plasma that are dual positive for both PD-L1 and tetraspanin (CD81) known to be expressed on EVs. We achieve a performance that significantly surpasses conventional approaches, demonstrating 360× enhancement in the limit of detection (LOD) and a 750× improvement in the limit of quantitation (LOQ) compared to conventional plate enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). Underlying this performance is DEVA's high throughput analysis of individual EVs one at a time and the high specificity to targeted EVs versus background. We achieve a 0.006% false positive rate per droplet by leveraging avidity effects that arise from EVs having multiple copies of their target ligands on their surface. We use parallelized optofluidics to rapidly process 10 million droplets per minute, ∼100× greater than conventional approaches. A validation study on a cohort of 14 patients with melanoma confirms DEVA's ability to match conventional ELISA measurements with reduced plasma sample volume and without the need for prior EV purification. This proof-of-concept study demonstrates DEVA's potential for clinical utility to enhance prognosis as well as guide treatment for cancer.

Extracellular Vesicles and Immune System Function: Exploring Novel Approaches to Colorectal Cancer Immunotherapy

This review explores the emerging role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in modulating immune system function and their application in novel cancer immunotherapy strategies, with a focus on colorectal cancer (CRC). EVs, as carriers of bioactive molecules, have shown potential in enhancing immune responses and overcoming the limitations of traditional therapies. We discuss the biogenesis, types, and functional roles of immune cell-derived EVs, their interactions with cancer cells, and their implications in antitumor immunity. Challenges such as tumor heterogeneity and immune evasion are addressed, alongside the promising therapeutic prospects of EV-based strategies. This comprehensive analysis underscores the transformative potential of EVs in cancer treatment paradigms.

Ultrasensitive and Wash-Free Detection of Tumor Extracellular Vesicles by Aptamer-Proximity-Ligation-Activated Rolling Circle Amplification Coupled to Single Particle ICP-MS

Tumor-derived extracellular vesicles (TEVs) are rich in cellular information and hold great promise as a biomarker for noninvasive cancer diagnosis. However, accurate measurement of TEVs presents challenges due to their low abundance and potential interference from a high number of EVs derived from normal cells. Herein, an aptamer-proximity-ligation-activated rolling circle amplification (RCA) method for EV membrane recognition, coupled with single particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (sp-ICP-MS) for the quantification of TEVs, is developed. When DNA-labeled ultrasmall gold nanoparticle (AuNP) probes bind to the long chains formed by RCA, they aggregate to form large particles. Notably, small AuNPs scarcely produce pulse signals in sp-ICP-MS, thereby detecting TEVs in a wash-free manner. By leveraging the strong binding affinity of aptamers, dual aptamers for EpCAM and PD-L1 recognition, and the sp-ICP-MS technique, this method offers remarkable sensitivity and selectivity in tracing TEVs. Under optimized conditions, the present method shows a favorable linear relationship between the pulse signal frequency of sp-ICP-MS and TEV concentration within the range of 105-107 particles/mL, along with a detection limit of 1.1 × 104 particles/mL. The pulse signals from sp-ICP-MS combined with machine learning algorithms are used to discriminate cancer patients from healthy donors with 100% accuracy. Due to its simple and fast operation and excellent sensitivity and accuracy, this approach holds significant potential for diverse applications in life sciences and personalized medicine.

Microfluidic Biochips for Single-Cell Isolation and Single-Cell Analysis of Multiomics and Exosomes

Single-cell multiomic and exosome analyses are potent tools in various fields, such as cancer research, immunology, neuroscience, microbiology, and drug development. They facilitate the in-depth exploration of biological systems, providing insights into disease mechanisms and aiding in treatment. Single-cell isolation, which is crucial for single-cell analysis, ensures reliable cell isolation and quality control for further downstream analyses. Microfluidic chips are small lightweight systems that facilitate efficient and high-throughput single-cell isolation and real-time single-cell analysis on- or off-chip. Therefore, most current single-cell isolation and analysis technologies are based on the single-cell microfluidic technology. This review offers comprehensive guidance to researchers across different fields on the selection of appropriate microfluidic chip technologies for single-cell isolation and analysis. This review describes the design principles, separation mechanisms, chip characteristics, and cellular effects of various microfluidic chips available for single-cell isolation. Moreover, this review highlights the implications of using this technology for subsequent analyses, including single-cell multiomic and exosome analyses. Finally, the current challenges and future prospects of microfluidic chip technology are outlined for multiplex single-cell isolation and multiomic and exosome analyses.

Exosomes based strategies for cardiovascular diseases: Opportunities and challenges

Exosomes, as nanoscale extracellular vesicles (EVs), are secreted by all types of cells to facilitate intercellular communication in living organisms. After being taken up by neighboring or distant cells, exosomes can alter the expression levels of target genes in recipient cells and thereby affect their pathophysiological outcomes depending on payloads encapsulated therein. The functions and mechanisms of exosomes in cardiovascular diseases have attracted much attention in recent years and are thought to have cardioprotective and regenerative potential. This review summarizes the biogenesis and molecular contents of exosomes and details the roles played by exosomes released from various cells in the progression and recovery of cardiovascular disease. The review also discusses the current status of traditional exosomes in cardiovascular tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, pointing out several limitations in their application. It emphasizes that some of the existing emerging industrial or bioengineering technologies are promising to compensate for these shortcomings, and the combined application of exosomes and biomaterials provides an opportunity for mutual enhancement of their performance. The integration of exosome-based cell-free diagnostic and therapeutic options will contribute to the further development of cardiovascular regenerative medicine.

M2 Macrophage-Derived Small Extracellular Vesicles Ameliorate Pyroptosis and Intervertebral Disc Degeneration

Intervertebral discs (IVDs) have a limited self-regenerative capacity and current strategies for IVD regeneration are unsatisfactory. Recent studies showed that small extracellular vesicles derived from M2 macrophage cells (M2-sEVs) inhibited inflammation by delivery of various bioactive molecules to recipient cells, which indicated that M2-sEVs may offer a therapeutic strategy for the repair of IVDs. Herein, we investigated the roles and mechanisms of M2-sEVs on IVD regeneration. The in vitro results demonstrated that M2-sEVs inhibited pyroptosis, preserved cellular viability, and promoted migration of nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs). Bioinformatics analysis and verification experiments of microRNA (miR) expression showed that miR-221-3p was highly expressed in M2-sEVs. The mechanism of action was explored and indicated that M2-sEVs inhibited pyroptosis of NPCs through transfer of miR-221-3p, which suppressed the expression levels of phosphatase and tensin homolog and NOD-, LRR-, and pyrin domain-containing protein 3. Moreover, we fabricated decellularized ECM-hydrogel (dECM) for sustained release of M2-sEVs, which exhibited biocompatibility and controlled release properties. The in vivo results revealed that dECM-hydrogel containing M2-sEVs (dECM/M2-sEVs) delayed the degeneration of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) models. In addition to demonstrating a promising therapeutic for IDD, this study provided valuable data for furthering the understanding of the roles and mechanisms of M2-sEVs in IVD regeneration.

Harnessing tumor-derived exosomes: A promising approach for the expansion of clinical diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic outcome of prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of men's death worldwide. Although early diagnosis and therapy for localized prostate cancer have improved, the majority of men with metastatic disease die from prostate cancer annually. Therefore, identification of the cellular-molecular mechanisms underlying the progression of prostate cancer is essential for overcoming controlled proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles that mediate most cells' interactions and contain membrane proteins, cytosolic and nuclear proteins, extracellular matrix proteins, lipids, metabolites, and nucleic acids. Exosomes play an essential role in paracrine pathways, potentially influencing Prostate cancer progression through a wide variety of mechanisms. In the present review, we outline and discuss recent progress in our understanding of the role of exosomes in the Prostate cancer microenvironment, like their involvement in prostate cancer occurrence, progression, angiogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, metastasis, and drug resistance. We also present the latest findings regarding the function of exosomes as biomarkers, direct therapeutic targets in prostate cancer, and the challenges and advantages associated with using exosomes as natural carriers and in exosome-based immunotherapy. These findings are a promising avenue for the expansion of potential clinical approaches.

Upregulation of circ-IGF1R increased therapeutic effect of hypoxia-pretreated ADSC-derived extracellular vesicle by regulating miR-503-5p/HK2/VEGFA axis

Diabetes mellitus is a major cause of blindness and chronic ulcers in the working-age population worldwide. Wound healing is deeply dependent on neovascularization to restore blood flow. Former research has found that differentially expressed circular RNAs (circRNAs) are associated with hyperglycaemia-induced endothelial cell damage, and hypoxia-pretreated adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs)-extracellular vesicle (HEV) transplants have a more therapeutic effect to enhance wound healing in diabetic mice by delivery circRNA. The current investigation employed high-throughput sequencing to identify circRNAs that are abnormally expressed between EV and HEV. The regulatory mechanism and predicted targets of one differentially expressed circRNA, circ-IGF1R, were investigated utilizing bioinformatics analyses, luciferase reporter assays, angiogenic differentiation assays, flow cytometric apoptosis analysis and RT-qPCR. Circ-IGF1R expression increased in HEV, and downregulation of circ-IGF1R suppressed and reversed the promotion effect of HEV on angiogenesis in ulcerated tissue. Bioinformatics analyses and luciferase reporter assays confirmed that miR-503-5p was the downstream target of circ-IGF1R, and inhibiting miR-503-5p restored the promotion effect of HEV on angiogenesis after circ-IGF1R silence. The study also found that miR-503-5p can interact with 3'-UTR of both HK2 and VEGFA. Overexpression of HK2 or VEGFA restored the promotion effect of HExo on angiogenesis after circ-IGF1R silence. Overexpression miR-503-5p or silence HK2/VEGFA reversed the protective effect of circ-IGF1R to MLMECs angiogenic differentiation. Overexpression of circ-IGF1R increased the protective effect of HEV on the promotion of wound healing in mice with diabetes. Circ-IGF1R promotes HIF-1α expression through miR-503-5p sponging. Our data demonstrate that circ-IGF1R overexpression EVs from ADSCs suppress high glucose-induced endothelial cell damage by regulating miR-503-5p/HK2/VEGFA axis.

Cell-Impermeable Buffering Fluorogenic Probes for Live-Cell Super-Resolution Imaging of Plasma Membrane Morphology Dynamics

Super-resolution fluorescence imaging has emerged as a potent tool for investigating the nanoscale structure and function of the plasma membrane (PM). Nevertheless, the challenge persists in achieving super-resolution imaging of PM dynamics due to limitations in probe photostability and issues with cell internalization staining. Herein, we report assembly-mediated buffering fluorogenic probes BMP-14 and BMP-16 exhibiting fast PM labeling and extended retention time (over 2 h) on PM. The incorporation of alkyl chains proves effective in promoting the aggregation of BMP-14 and BMP-16 into nonfluorescent nanoparticles to realize fluorogenicity and regulate the buffering capacity to rapidly replace photobleached probes ensuring stable long-term super-resolution imaging of PM. Utilizing these PM-buffering probes, we observed dynamic movements of PM filopodia and continuous shrinkage, leading to the formation of extracellular vesicles (EVs) using structured illumination microscopy (SIM). Furthermore, we discovered two distinct modes of EV fusion: one involving fusion through adjacent lipids and the other through filamentous lipid traction. The entire process of EV fusion outside the PM was dynamically tracked. Additionally, BMP-16 exhibited a unique capability of inducing single-molecule fluorescence blinking when used for cell membrane staining. This property makes BMP-16 suitable for the PAINT imaging of cell membranes.

The role of exosomal molecular cargo in exosome biogenesis and disease diagnosis

Exosomes represent a type of extracellular vesicles derived from the endosomal pathway that transport diverse molecular cargoes such as proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. These cargoes have emerged as crucial elements impacting disease diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis, and are integral to the process of exosome formation. This review delves into the essential molecular cargoes implicated in the phases of exosome production and release. Emphasis is placed on their significance as cancer biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets, accompanied by an exploration of the obstacles and feasible applications linked to these developments.

High-throughput proteomic analysis of extracellular vesicles from saliva by chemical probe-based array

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are cell-released, nucleus-free particles with a double-membrane structure that effectively prevents degradation of internal components by a variety of salivary enzymes. Saliva is an easily accessible biofluid that contains a wealth of valuable information for disease diagnosis and monitoring and especially reflect respiratory and digestive tract diseases. However, the lack of efficient and high-throughput methods for proteomic analysis of salivary biomarkers poses a significant challenge. Herein, we designed a salivary EV amphiphile-dendrimer supramolecular probe (SEASP) array which enables efficient enrichment and in situ detection of EVs protein biomarkers. Detergent Tween-20 washing of SEASP arrays removes high abundance of heteroproteins from saliva well. This array shows good analytical performance in the linear range of 10 μL-150 μL (LOD = 0.4 μg protein, or 10 μL saliva), exhibiting a good recovery (80.0 %). Compared to ultracentrifugation (UC), this procedure provides simple and convenient access to high-purity EVs (1.3 × 109 particles per mg protein) with good physiological status and structure. Coupling with mass spectrometry based proteomic analysis, differentially expressed proteins as selected asthma biomarkers have been screened. Then, we validated the proteomics primary screening results through clinical samples (100 μL each) using the SEASP array. Utilizing the dual antibody fluorescence technology, SEASP enables the simultaneous high-throughput detection of two proteins. Therefore, the EVs marker protein CD81 could be used as an internal standard to normalize the number of EVs, which was stably expressed in EVs. Proteomics and array results suggested that HNRNPU (P = 4.9 * 10-6) and MUC5B (P = 4.7 * 10-11) are promising protein biomarkers for infantile asthma. HNRNPU and MUC5B may be associated with disease onset and subtypes. The SEASP arrays provide a significant advancement in the field of salivary biomarker. The array enables high-throughput in situ protein detection for highly viscous and complex biological samples. It provides a rapid, low-cost, highly specific screening procedure and experimental basis for early disease screening and diagnosis in the field of liquid biopsy.

Exosomes as drug delivery systems in glioma immunotherapy

Recently, the significant benefits of cancer immunotherapy for most cancers have been demonstrated in clinical and preclinical studies. However, the efficacy of these immunotherapies for gliomas is limited, owing to restricted drug delivery and insufficient immune activation. As drug carriers, exosomes offer the advantages of low toxicity, good biocompatibility, and intrinsic cell targeting, which could enhance glioma immunotherapy efficacy. However, a review of exosome-based drug delivery systems for glioma immunotherapy has not been presented. This review introduces the current problems in glioma immunotherapy and the role of exosomes in addressing these issues. Meanwhile, preparation and application strategies of exosome-based drug delivery systems for glioma immunotherapy are discussed, especially for enhancing immunogenicity and reversing the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Finally, we briefly describe the challenges of exosome-based drug delivery systems in clinical translation. We anticipate that this review will guide the use of exosomes as drug carriers for glioma immunotherapy.

Heterogeneous Analysis of Extracellular Vesicles for Osteosarcoma Diagnosis

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most prevalent primary tumor of bones, often diagnosed late with a poor prognosis. Currently, few effective biomarkers or diagnostic methods have been developed for early OS detection with high confidence, especially for metastatic OS. Tumor-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) are emerging as promising biomarkers for early cancer diagnosis through liquid biopsy. Here, we report a plasmonic imaging-based biosensing technique, termed subpopulation protein analysis by single EV counting (SPASEC), for size-dependent EV subpopulation analysis. In our SPASEC platform, EVs are accurately sized and counted on plasmonic sensor chips coated with OS-specific antibodies. Subsequently, EVs are categorized into distinct subpopulations based on their sizes, and the membrane proteins of each size-dependent subpopulation are profiled. We measured the heterogeneous expression levels of the EV markers (CD63, BMP2, GD2, and N-cadherin) in each of the EV subsets from both OS cell lines and clinical plasma samples. Using the linear discriminant analysis (LDA) model, the combination of four markers is applied to classify the healthy donors (n = 37), nonmetastatic OS patients (n = 13), and metastatic patients (n = 12) with an area under the curve of 0.95, 0.92, and 0.99, respectively. SPASEC provides accurate EV sensing technology for early OS diagnosis.

ROS-responsive MSC-derived Exosome Mimetics Carrying MHY1485 Alleviate Renal Ischemia Reperfusion Injury through Multiple Mechanisms

Renal ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury is a prevalent inflammatory nephropathy in surgeries such as renal transplantation or partial nephrectomy, damaging renal function through inducing inflammation and cell death in renal tubules. Mesenchymal stromal/stem cell (MSC)-based therapies, common treatments to attenuate inflammation in IR diseases, fail to exhibit satisfying effects on cell death in renal IR. In this study, we prepared MSC-derived exosome mimetics (EMs) carrying the mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) agonist to protect kidneys in proinflammatory environments under IR conditions. The thioketal-modified EMs carried the mTOR agonist and bioactive molecules in MSCs and responsively released them in kidney IR areas. MSC-derived EMs and mTOR agonists protected kidneys synergistically from IR through alleviating inflammation, apoptosis, and ferroptosis. The current study indicates that MSC-TK-MHY1485 EMs (MTM-EM) are promising therapeutic biomaterials for renal IR injury.

Magnetic Silica-Coated Fluorescent Microspheres (MagSiGlow) for Simultaneous Detection of Tumor-Associated Proteins

Multiplexed bead assays for solution-phase biosensing often encounter cross-over reactions during signal amplification steps, leading to unwanted false positive and high background signals. Current solutions involve complex custom-designed and costly equipment, limiting their application in simple laboratory setup. In this study, we introduce a straightforward protocol to adapt a multiplexed single-bead assay to standard fluorescence imaging plates, enabling the simultaneous analysis of thousands of reactions per plate. This approach focuses on the design and synthesis of bright fluorescent and magnetic microspheres (MagSiGlow) with multiple fluorescent wavelengths serving as unique detection markers. The imaging-based, single-bead assay, combined with a scripted algorithm, allows the detection, segmentation, and co-localization on average of 7500 microspheres per field of view across five imaging channels in less than one second. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this method with remarkable sensitivity at low protein detection limits (100 pg/mL). This technique showed over 85 % reduction in signal cross-over to the solution-based method after the concurrent detection of tumor-associated protein biomarkers. This approach holds the promise of substantially enhancing high throughput biosensing for multiple targets, seamlessly integrating with rapid image analysis algorithms.

Tetranuclear Polypyridylruthenium(II) Complexes as Selective Nucleic Acid Stains for Flow Cytometric Analysis of Monocytic and Epithelial Lung Carcinoma Large Extracellular Vesicles

Selective staining of extracellular vesicles (EVs) is a major challenge for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Herein, the EV labeling properties of a new class of tetranuclear polypyridylruthenium(II) complexes, Rubb7-TNL and Rubb7-TL, as phosphorescent stains are described. These new stains have many advantages over standard stains to detect and characterize EVs, including: high specificity for EV staining versus cell staining; high phosphorescence yields; photostability; and a lack of leaching from EVs until incorporation with target cells. As an example of their utility, large EVs released from control (basal) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated THP-1 monocytic leukemia cells were studied as a model of immune system EVs released during bacterial infection. Key findings from EV staining combined with flow cytometry were as follows: (i) LPS-stimulated THP-1 cells generated significantly larger and more numerous large EVs, as compared with those from unstimulated cells; (ii) EVs retained native EV physical properties after staining; and (iii) the new stains selectively differentiated intact large EVs from artificial liposomes, which are models of cell membrane fragments or other lipid-containing debris, as well as distinguished two distinct subpopulations of monocytic EVs within the same experiment, as a result of biochemical differences between unstimulated and LPS-stimulated monocytes. Comparatively, the staining patterns of A549 epithelial lung carcinoma-derived EVs closely resembled those of THP-1 cell line-derived EVs, which highlighted similarities in their selective staining despite their distinct cellular origins. This is consistent with the hypothesis that these new phosphorescent stains target RNA within the EVs.

Recent advances in chemical biology tools for protein and RNA profiling of extracellular vesicles

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nano-sized vesicles secreted by cells that contain various cellular components such as proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids from the parent cell. EVs are abundant in body fluids and can serve as circulating biomarkers for a variety of diseases or as a regulator of various biological processes. Considering these characteristics of EVs, analysis of the EV cargo has been spotlighted for disease diagnosis or to understand biological processes in biomedical research. Over the past decade, technologies for rapid and sensitive analysis of EVs in biofluids have evolved, but detection and isolation of targeted EVs in complex body fluids is still challenging due to the unique physical and biological properties of EVs. Recent advances in chemical biology provide new opportunities for efficient profiling of the molecular contents of EVs. A myriad of chemical biology tools have been harnessed to enhance the analytical performance of conventional assays for better understanding of EV biology. In this review, we will discuss the improvements that have been achieved using chemical biology tools.

Endothelial progenitor cell-derived extracellular vesicles: the world of potential prospects for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have emerged as a predominant threat to human health, surpassing the incidence and mortality rates of neoplastic diseases. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) serve as vital mediators in intercellular communication and material exchange. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), recognized as precursors of vascular endothelial cells (ECs), have garnered considerable attention in recent years due to the potential therapeutic value of their derived extracellular vesicles (EPC-EVs) in the context of CVDs. This comprehensive review systematically explores the origins, characteristics, and functions of EPCs, alongside the classification, properties, biogenesis, and extraction techniques of EVs, with particular emphasis on their protective roles in CVDs. Additionally, we delve into the essential bioactive components of EPC-EVs, including microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and proteins, analyzing their beneficial effects in promoting angiogenesis, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activities, anti-fibrosis, anti-apoptosis, and myocardial regeneration. Furthermore, this review comprehensively investigates the therapeutic potential of EPC-EVs across various CVDs, encompassing acute myocardial infarction, myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury, atherosclerosis, non-ischemic cardiomyopathies, and diabetic cardiovascular disease. Lastly, we summarize the potential challenges associated with the clinical application of EPC-EVs and outline future directions, aiming to offer a valuable resource for both theoretical insights and practical applications of EPC-EVs in managing CVDs.

Buoyant Metal-Organic Framework Corona-Driven Fast Isolation and Ultrasensitive Profiling of Circulating Extracellular Vesicles

Accurately assaying tumor-derived circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs) is fundamental in noninvasive cancer diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring but limited by challenges in efficient EV isolation and profiling. Here, we report a bioinspired buoyancy-driven metal-organic framework (MOF) corona that leverages on-bubble coordination and dual-encoded surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) nanotags to streamline rapid isolation and ultrasensitive profiling of plasma EVs in a single assay for cancer diagnostics. This integrated bubble-MOF-SERS EV assay (IBMsv) allows barnacle-like high-density adhesion of MOFs on a self-floating bubble surface to enable fast isolation (2 min, near 90% capture efficiency) of tumor EVs via enhanced EV-MOF binding. Also, IBMsv harnesses four-plexed SERS nanotags to profile the captured EV surface protein markers at a single-particle level. Such a sensitive assay allows multiplexed profiling of EVs across five cancer types, revealing heterogeneous EV surface expression patterns. Furthermore, the IBMsv assay enables cancer diagnosis in a pilot clinical cohort (n = 55) with accuracies >95%, improves discrimination between cancer and noncancer patients via an algorithm, and monitors the surgical treatment response from hepatocellular carcinoma patients. This assay provides a fast, sensitive, streamlined, multiplexed, and portable blood test tool to enable cancer diagnosis and response monitoring in clinical settings.

Exosomes in Bone Cancer: Unveiling their Vital Role in Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Therapeutic Advancements

Bone cancer among adolescents and children exhibits varying survival outcomes based on disease state. While localized bone cancer cases have a survival rate exceeding 70%, metastatic, refractory, and recurrent forms are associated with significantly poorer prognoses. Initially believed to be mere vehicles for cellular waste disposal, exosomes are now recognized as extracellular vesicles facilitating intercellular communication. These vesicles influence cellular behaviors by transporting various biomolecules, such as proteins, DNA, RNA, and lipids, among cells. The role of exosomes in regulating the progression of bone cancer is increasingly evident, impacting critical processes like tumorigenesis, proliferation, metastasis, angiogenesis, immune evasion, and drug resistance. Current research underscores the substantial potential of exosomes in promoting the progression and development of bone cancer. This review delves into the complex process of exosome biogenesis, the variety of cell-derived exosome sources, and their applications in drug delivery and therapeutics. It also examines ongoing clinical trials focused on exosome cargo levels and discusses the challenges and future directions in exosome research. Unlike costly and invasive traditional diagnostic methods, exosomal biomarkers offer a non-invasive, cost-effective, and readily accessible routine screening through simple fluid collection that aims to inspire researchers to investigate the potential of exosomes for cancer theragnostic. Through comprehensive exploration of these areas, the review seeks to enhance understanding and foster innovative solutions to cancer biology in the near future.

Effective enrichment of trace exosomes for the label-free SERS detection via low-cost thermophoretic profiling

Exosome-based liquid biopsies possess great potential in monitoring cancer development However, current exosome detection biosensors require large exosome volumes, showing the weak detection sensitivity. Besides, these methods pay little attention to in situ analysis of exosomes, hence limiting the provision of more accurate clinically-relevant information. Herein, we develop an innovative label-free biosensor combining the low-cost thermophoretic enrichment method with the surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) detection. Based on the thermophoretic enrichment strategy, exosomes and gold nanoparticles can be enriched together into a small area with a scale of 500 μm within 10 min. The Raman signals of various exosomes derived from normal, cancerous cell lines and human serum are dynamically monitored in situ, with the limit of detection of 102-103 particles per microliter, presenting higher sensitivity compared with the similar label-free SERS detection. The spectral data set of different exosomes is applied to train for multivariate classification of cell types and to estimate how the normal exosome data resemble cancer cell exosome. The reliable classification and identification of different exosomes can be realized. The current biosensor is convenient, low-cost and requires small exosome volumes (∼3 μL), and if validated in larger cohorts may contribute to the tumor prediction and diagnosis.

Optimizing mesenchymal stem cell extracellular vesicles for chronic wound healing: Bioengineering, standardization, and safety

Chronic wounds represent a significant global burden, afflicting millions with debilitating complications. Despite standard care, impaired healing persists due to factors like persistent inflammation and impaired tissue regeneration. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) offer an innovative regenerative medicine approach, delivering stem cell-derived therapeutic cargo in engineered nanoscale delivery systems. This review examines pioneering bioengineering strategies to engineer MSC-EVs into precision nanotherapeutics for chronic wounds. Emerging technologies like CRISPR gene editing, microfluidic manufacturing, and biomimetic delivery systems are highlighted for their potential to enhance MSC-EV targeting, optimize therapeutic cargo enrichment, and ensure consistent clinical-grade production. However, key hurdles remain, including batch variability, rigorous safety assessment for potential tumorigenicity, immunogenicity, and biodistribution profiling. Crucially, collaborative frameworks harmonizing regulatory science with bioengineering and patient advocacy hold the key to expediting global clinical translation. By overcoming these challenges, engineered MSC-EVs could catalyze a new era of off-the-shelf regenerative therapies, restoring hope and healing for millions afflicted by non-healing wounds.

Progress on early diagnosing Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects both cognition and non-cognition functions. The disease follows a continuum, starting with preclinical stages, progressing to mild cognitive and behavioral impairment, ultimately leading to dementia. Early detection of AD is crucial for better diagnosis and more effective treatment. However, the current AD diagnostic tests of biomarkers using cerebrospinal fluid and/or brain imaging are invasive or expensive, and mostly are still not able to detect early disease state. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop new diagnostic techniques with higher sensitivity and specificity during the preclinical stages of AD. Various non-cognitive manifestations, including behavioral abnormalities, sleep disturbances, sensory dysfunctions, and physical changes, have been observed in the preclinical AD stage before occurrence of notable cognitive decline. Recent research advances have identified several biofluid biomarkers as early indicators of AD. This review focuses on these non-cognitive changes and newly discovered biomarkers in AD, specifically addressing the preclinical stages of the disease. Furthermore, it is of importance to explore the potential for developing a predictive system or network to forecast disease onset and progression at the early stage of AD.

Amniotic fluid stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles educate type 2 conventional dendritic cells to rescue autoimmune disorders in a multiple sclerosis mouse model

Dendritic cells (DCs) are essential orchestrators of immune responses and represent potential targets for immunomodulation in autoimmune diseases. Human amniotic fluid secretome is abundant in immunoregulatory factors, with extracellular vesicles (EVs) being a significant component. However, the impact of these EVs on dendritic cells subsets remain unexplored. In this study, we investigated the interaction between highly purified dendritic cell subsets and EVs derived from amniotic fluid stem cell lines (HAFSC-EVs). Our results suggest that HAFSC-EVs are preferentially taken up by conventional dendritic cell type 2 (cDC2) through CD29 receptor-mediated internalization, resulting in a tolerogenic DC phenotype characterized by reduced expression and production of pro-inflammatory mediators. Furthermore, treatment of cDC2 cells with HAFSC-EVs in coculture systems resulted in a higher proportion of T cells expressing the regulatory T cell marker Foxp3 compared to vehicle-treated control cells. Moreover, transfer of HAFSC-EV-treated cDC2s into an EAE mouse model resulted in the suppression of autoimmune responses and clinical improvement. These results suggest that HAFSC-EVs may serve as a promising tool for reprogramming inflammatory cDC2s towards a tolerogenic phenotype and for controlling autoimmune responses in the central nervous system, representing a potential platform for the study of the effects of EVs in DC subsets.

Small extracellular vesicles: Multi-functional aspects in non-small cell lung carcinoma

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) impact normal and pathological cellular signaling through bidirectional trafficking. Exosomes, a subset of EVs possess biomolecules including proteins, lipids, DNA fragments and various RNA species reflecting a speculum of their parent cells. The involvement of exosomes in bidirectional communication and their biological constituents substantiate its role in regulating both physiology and pathology, including multiple cancers. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common lung cancers (85%) with high incidence, mortality and reduced overall survival. Lack of efficient early diagnostic and therapeutic tools hurdles the management of NSCLC. Interestingly, the exosomes from body fluids similarity with parent cells or tissue offers a potential future multicomponent tool for the early diagnosis of NSCLC. The structural twinning of exosomes with a cell/tissue and the competitive tumor derived exosomes in tumor microenvironment (TME) promotes the unpinning horizons of exosomes as a drug delivery, vaccine, and therapeutic agent. Exosomes in clinical point of view assist to trace: acquired resistance caused by various therapeutic agents, early diagnosis, progression, and surveillance. In an integrated approach, EV biomarkers offer potential cutting-edge techniques for the detection and diagnosis of cancer, though the purification, characterization, and biomarker identification processes for the translational research regarding EVs need further optimization.

The effects of extracellular vesicles and their cargo on metabolism and its adaptation to physical exercise in insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes

Lifestyle modification represents the first-line strategy for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), which is frequently associated with obesity and characterized by defective pancreatic insulin secretion and/or insulin resistance. Exercise training is an essential component of lifestyle modification and has been shown to ameliorate insulin resistance by reducing body fat mass and by enhancing skeletal muscle mitochondrial biogenesis and insulin-independent glucose uptake. Additionally, exercising stimulates the release of exerkines such as metabolites or cytokines, but also long non-coding RNA, microRNAs, cell-free DNA (cf-DNA), and extracellular vesicles (EVs), which contribute to inter-tissue communication. There is emerging evidence that EV number and content are altered in obesity and T2DM and may be involved in several metabolic processes, specifically either worsening or improving insulin resistance. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the metabolic effects of exercise training and on the potential role of humoral factors and EV as new biomarkers for early diagnosis and tailored treatment of T2DM.

Roles of extracellular vesicles on macrophages in inflammatory bone diseases

Inflammatory bone disease is a general term for a series of diseases caused by chronic inflammation, which leads to the destruction of bone homeostasis, that is, the osteolytic activity of osteoclasts increases, and the osteogenic activity of osteoblasts decreases, leading to osteolysis. Macrophages are innate immune cell with plasticity, and their polarization is related to inflammatory bone diseases. The dynamic balance of macrophages between the M1 phenotype and the M2 phenotype affects the occurrence and development of diseases. In recent years, an increasing number of studies have shown that extracellular vesicles existing in the extracellular environment can act on macrophages, affecting the progress of inflammatory diseases. This process is realized by influencing the physiological activity or functional activity of macrophages, inducing macrophages to secrete cytokines, and playing an anti-inflammatory or pro-inflammatory role. In addition, by modifying and editing extracellular vesicles, the potential of targeting macrophages can be used to provide new ideas for developing new drug carriers for inflammatory bone diseases.

Extracellular vesicles in nanomedicine and regenerative medicine: A review over the last decade

Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) are known to be secreted by a vast majority of cells. These sEVs, specifically exosomes, induce specific cell-to-cell interactions and can activate signaling pathways in recipient cells through fusion or interaction. These nanovesicles possess several desirable properties, making them ideal for regenerative medicine and nanomedicine applications. These properties include exceptional stability, biocompatibility, wide biodistribution, and minimal immunogenicity. However, the practical utilization of sEVs, particularly in clinical settings and at a large scale, is hindered by the expensive procedures required for their isolation, limited circulation lifetime, and suboptimal targeting capacity. Despite these challenges, sEVs have demonstrated a remarkable ability to accommodate various cargoes and have found extensive applications in the biomedical sciences. To overcome the limitations of sEVs and broaden their potential applications, researchers should strive to deepen their understanding of current isolation, loading, and characterization techniques. Additionally, acquiring fundamental knowledge about sEVs origins and employing state-of-the-art methodologies in nanomedicine and regenerative medicine can expand the sEVs research scope. This review provides a comprehensive overview of state-of-the-art exosome-based strategies in diverse nanomedicine domains, encompassing cancer therapy, immunotherapy, and biomarker applications. Furthermore, we emphasize the immense potential of exosomes in regenerative medicine.

A novel cell-free therapy using exosomes in the inner ear regeneration

Cellular and molecular alterations associated with hearing loss are now better understood with advances in molecular biology. These changes indicate the participation of distinct damage and stress pathways that are unlikely to be fully addressed by conventional pharmaceutical treatment. Sensorineural hearing loss is a common and debilitating condition for which comprehensive pharmacologic intervention is not available. The complex and diverse molecular pathology that underlies hearing loss currently limits our ability to intervene with small molecules. The present review focuses on the potential for the use of extracellular vesicles in otology. It examines a variety of inner ear diseases and hearing loss that may be treatable using exosomes (EXOs). The role of EXOs as carriers for the treatment of diseases related to the inner ear as well as EXOs as biomarkers for the recognition of diseases related to the ear is discussed.

SERS biosensors for liquid biopsy towards cancer diagnosis by detection of various circulating biomarkers: current progress and perspectives

Liquid biopsy has emerged as a promising non-invasive strategy for cancer diagnosis, enabling the detection of various circulating biomarkers, including circulating tumor cells (CTCs), circulating tumor nucleic acids (ctNAs), circulating tumor-derived small extracellular vesicles (sEVs), and circulating proteins. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) biosensors have revolutionized liquid biopsy by offering sensitive and specific detection methodologies for these biomarkers. This review comprehensively examines the application of SERS-based biosensors for identification and analysis of various circulating biomarkers including CTCs, ctNAs, sEVs and proteins in liquid biopsy for cancer diagnosis. The discussion encompasses a diverse range of SERS biosensor platforms, including label-free SERS assay, magnetic bead-based SERS assay, microfluidic device-based SERS system, and paper-based SERS assay, each demonstrating unique capabilities in enhancing the sensitivity and specificity for detection of liquid biopsy cancer biomarkers. This review critically assesses the strengths, limitations, and future directions of SERS biosensors in liquid biopsy for cancer diagnosis.

Small extracellular vesicles' enrichment from biological fluids using an acoustic trap

Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs), a form of extracellular vesicles, are lipid bilayered structures released by all cells. Large-scale studies on sEVs from clinical samples are necessary, but a major obstacle is the lack of rapid, reproducible, efficient, and low-cost methods to enrich sEVs. Acoustic microfluidics have the advantage of being label-free and biocompatible, which have been reported to successfully enrich sEVs. In this paper, we present a highly efficient acoustic microfluidic trap that can offer low and large volume compatible ways of enriching sEVs from biological fluids by flexible structure design. It uses the idea of pre-loading larger seed particles in the acoustic trap to enable sub-micron particle capturing. The microfluidic chip is actuated using a piezoelectric plate transducer attached to a silicon-glass bonding plate with circular cavities. Each cavity works as a resonant unit, excited at the frequency of both the half wave resonance in the main plane and inverted quarter wave resonance in the depth direction, which has the ability to strongly trap seed particles at the center, thereby improving the subsequent nanoparticle capture efficiency. Mean trapping efficiencies of 35.62% and 64.27% were obtained using 60 nm and 100 nm nanobeads, respectively. By the use of this technology, we have successfully enriched sEVs from cell culture conditioned media and blood plasma at a flow rate of 10 μL min-1. The isolated sEV subpopulations are characterized by NTA and TEM, and their protein cargo is determined by WB. This acoustic trapping chip provides a rapid and robust method to enrich sEVs from biofluids with high reproducibility and sufficient quantities. Therefore, it can serve as a new tool for biological and clinical research such as cancer diagnosis and drug delivery.

Efforts to promote osteogenesis-angiogenesis coupling for bone tissue engineering

Repair of bone defects exceeding a critical size has been always a big challenge in clinical practice. Tissue engineering has exhibited great potential to effectively repair the defects with less adverse effect than traditional bone grafts, during which how to induce vascularized bone formation has been recognized as a critical issue. Therefore, recently many studies have been launched to attempt to promote osteogenesis-angiogenesis coupling. This review summarized comprehensively and explored in depth current efforts to ameliorate the coupling of osteogenesis and angiogenesis from four aspects, namely the optimization of scaffold components, modification of scaffold structures, loading strategies for bioactive substances, and employment tricks for appropriate cells. Especially, the advantages and the possible reasons for every strategy, as well as the challenges, were elaborated. Furthermore, some promising research directions were proposed based on an in-depth analysis of the current research. This paper will hopefully spark new ideas and approaches for more efficiently boosting new vascularized bone formations.

Stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles in the therapeutic intervention of Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, and stroke

With the increase in the aging population, the occurrence of neurological disorders is rising. Recently, stem cell therapy has garnered attention due to its convenient sourcing, minimal invasiveness, and capacity for directed differentiation. However, there are some disadvantages, such as poor quality control, safety assessments, and ethical and logistical issues. Consequently, scientists have started to shift their attention from stem cells to extracellular vesicles due to their similar structures and properties. Beyond these parallels, extracellular vesicles can enhance biocompatibility, facilitate easy traversal of barriers, and minimize side effects. Furthermore, stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles can be engineered to load drugs and modify surfaces to enhance treatment outcomes. In this review, we summarize the functions of native stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles, subsequently review the strategies for the engineering of stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles and their applications in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and stroke, and discuss the challenges and solutions associated with the clinical translation of stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles.

Insight into the Functional Dynamics and Challenges of Exosomes in Pharmaceutical Innovation and Precision Medicine

Of all the numerous nanosized extracellular vesicles released by a cell, the endosomal-originated exosomes are increasingly recognized as potential therapeutics, owing to their inherent stability, low immunogenicity, and targeted delivery capabilities. This review critically evaluates the transformative potential of exosome-based modalities across pharmaceutical and precision medicine landscapes. Because of their precise targeted biomolecular cargo delivery, exosomes are posited as ideal candidates in drug delivery, enhancing regenerative medicine strategies, and advancing diagnostic technologies. Despite the significant market growth projections of exosome therapy, its utilization is encumbered by substantial scientific and regulatory challenges. These include the lack of universally accepted protocols for exosome isolation and the complexities associated with navigating the regulatory environment, particularly the guidelines set forth by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This review presents a comprehensive overview of current research trajectories aimed at addressing these impediments and discusses prospective advancements that could substantiate the clinical translation of exosomal therapies. By providing a comprehensive analysis of both the capabilities and hurdles inherent to exosome therapeutic applications, this article aims to inform and direct future research paradigms, thereby fostering the integration of exosomal systems into mainstream clinical practice.

Recent research on material-based methods for isolation of extracellular vesicles

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanoparticles secreted by cells with a closed phospholipid bilayer structure, which can participate in various physiological and pathological processes and have significant clinical value in disease diagnosis, targeted therapy and prognosis assessment. EV isolation methods currently include differential ultracentrifugation, ultrafiltration, size exclusion chromatography, immunoaffinity, polymer co-precipitation and microfluidics. In addition, material-based biochemical or biophysical approaches relying on intrinsic properties of the material or its surface-modified functionalized monomers, demonstrated unique advantages in the efficient isolation of EVs. In order to provide new ideas for the subsequent development of material-based EV isolation methods, this review will focus on the principle, research status and application prospects of material-based EV isolation methods based on different material carriers and functional monomers.

Extracellular Vesicles in Lung Cancer: Implementation in Diagnosis and Therapeutic Perspectives

Lung cancer represents the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with around 1.8 million deaths in 2020. For this reason, there is an enormous interest in finding early diagnostic tools and novel therapeutic approaches, one of which is extracellular vesicles (EVs). EVs are nanoscale membranous particles that can carry proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), mediating various biological processes, especially in cell-cell communication. As such, they represent an interesting biomarker for diagnostic analysis that can be performed easily by liquid biopsy. Moreover, their growing dataset shows promising results as drug delivery cargo. The aim of our work is to summarize the recent advances in and possible implications of EVs for early diagnosis and innovative therapies for lung cancer.

The effect of macrophages and their exosomes in ischemic heart disease

Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is a leading cause of disability and death worldwide, with immune regulation playing a crucial role in its pathogenesis. Various immune cells are involved, and as one of the key immune cells residing in the heart, macrophages play an indispensable role in the inflammatory and reparative processes during cardiac ischemia. Exosomes, extracellular vesicles containing lipids, nucleic acids, proteins, and other bioactive molecules, have emerged as important mediators in the regulatory functions of macrophages and hold promise as a novel therapeutic target for IHD. This review summarizes the regulatory mechanisms of different subsets of macrophages and their secreted exosomes during cardiac ischemia over the past five years. It also discusses the current status of clinical research utilizing macrophages and their exosomes, as well as strategies to enhance their therapeutic efficacy through biotechnology. The aim is to provide valuable insights for the treatment of IHD.

Recent Advances in Microfluidic-Based Extracellular Vesicle Analysis

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) serve as vital messengers, facilitating communication between cells, and exhibit tremendous potential in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. However, conventional EV isolation methods are labor-intensive, and they harvest EVs with low purity and compromised recovery. In addition, the drawbacks, such as the limited sensitivity and specificity of traditional EV analysis methods, hinder the application of EVs in clinical use. Therefore, it is urgent to develop effective and standardized methods for isolating and detecting EVs. Microfluidics technology is a powerful and rapidly developing technology that has been introduced as a potential solution for the above bottlenecks. It holds the advantages of high integration, short analysis time, and low consumption of samples and reagents. In this review, we summarize the traditional techniques alongside microfluidic-based methodologies for the isolation and detection of EVs. We emphasize the distinct advantages of microfluidic technology in enhancing the capture efficiency and precise targeting of extracellular vesicles (EVs). We also explore its analytical role in targeted detection. Furthermore, this review highlights the transformative impact of microfluidic technology on EV analysis, with the potential to achieve automated and high-throughput EV detection in clinical samples.

The emerging role of extracellular vesicles in bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Extracellular vesicle (EV) biology in neonatal lung development and disease is a rapidly growing area of investigation. Although EV research in the neonatal population lags behind EV research in adult lung diseases, recent discoveries demonstrate promise in furthering our understanding of the pathophysiology of bronchopulmonary dysplasia and the potential use of EVs in the clinical setting, as both biomarkers and therapeutic agents. This review article explores some of the recent advances in this field and our evolving knowledge of the role of EVs in bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

One-step and label-free ratiometric fluorescence assay for the detection of plasma exosome towards cancer diagnosis

Exosomes are closely associated with tumor development and are regarded as viable biomarkers for cancer. Here, a ratiometric fluorescence method was proposed for the one-step and label-free detection of plasma exosomes. A bicolor streptavidin magnetic beads were specifically created with an immobilized Cy5-labeled hairpin aptamer for CD63 (Cy5-Apt) on its surface to identify exosome, and a green color SYBR Green I (SGI) embedded in the stem of Cy5-Apt to respond to exosomes. After exosome capture, the Cy5-Apt could undergo a conformational shift and release the encapsulated SGI, allowing exosome measurement based on the fluorescence ratio of Cy5 and SGI. The enrichment, separation and detection of exosomes in proposed method could be completed in one step (30 min), which is a significant improvement over previous method. Furthermore, the use of ratiometric fluorescence and magnetic separation allows for exosome enrichment and interference elimination from complex matrices, improving accuracy and sensitivity. Particularly, the assay could detect exosomes in plasma and has potential to distinguish lung cancer patients from healthy volunteers with an area under the receiver operator characteristic curve of 0.85. Besides, the study provided an efficient method for analyzing the various divisions of exosomes by merely modifying the aptamer, which holds great promise for point-of-care applications.

Research status and challenges of plant-derived exosome-like nanoparticles

In recent years, there has been an increasing number of related studies on exosomes. Most studies have focused on exosomes derived from mammals, confirming the important role that exosomes play in cell communication. Plants, as a natural ingredient, plant-derived exosomes have been confirmed to have similar structures and functions to mammalian-derived exosomes. Plant-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (PELNs) are lipid bilayer membrane nanovesicles containing bioactive constituents such as miRNA, mRNA, protein, and lipids obtained from plant cells, that can participate in intercellular communication and mediate transboundary communication, have high bioavailability and low immunogenicity, are relatively safe, and have been shown to play an important role in maintaining cell homeostasis and preventing, and treating a variety of diseases. In this review, we describe the biogenesis, isolation and purification methods, structural composition, stability, safety, function of PELNs and challenges. The functions of PELNs in anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumor and drug delivery are mainly described, and the status of research on exosome nanoparticles of Chinese herbal medicines is outlined. Overall, we summarized the importance of PELNs and the latest research results in this field and provided a theoretical basis for the future research and clinical application of PELNs.

Extracellular vesicles in parasitic diseases - from pathogenesis to future diagnostic tools

Parasitic diseases are still a major public health problem especially among individuals of low socioeconomic status in underdeveloped countries. In recent years it has been demonstrated that parasites can release extracellular vesicles that participate in the host-parasite communication, immune evasion, and in governing processes associated with host infection. Extracellular vesicles are membrane-bound structures released into the extracellular space that can carry several types of biomolecules, including proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and metabolites, which directly impact the target cells. Extracellular vesicles have attracted wide attention due to their relevance in host-parasite communication and for their potential value in applications such as in the diagnostic biomarker discovery. This review of the literature aimed to join the current knowledge on the role of extracellular vesicles in host-parasite interaction and summarize its molecular content, providing information for the acquisition of new tools that can be used in the diagnosis of parasitic diseases. These findings shed light to the potential of extracellular vesicle cargo derived from protozoan parasites as novel diagnostic tools.

The novel insights of epithelial-derived exosomes in various fibrotic diseases

The characteristics of fibrosis include the abnormal accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins and abnormal tissue repair caused by injury, infection, and inflammation, leading to a significant increase in organ failure and mortality. Effective and precise treatments are urgently needed to halt and reverse the progression of fibrotic diseases. Exosomes are tiny vesicles derived from endosomes, spanning from 40 to 160 nanometers in diameter, which are expelled into the extracellular matrix environment by various cell types. They play a crucial role in facilitating cell-to-cell communication by transporting a variety of cargoes, including proteins, RNA, and DNA. Epithelial cells serve as the primary barrier against diverse external stimuli that precipitate fibrotic diseases. Numerous research suggests that exosomes from epithelial cells have a significant impact on several fibrotic diseases. An in-depth comprehension of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of epithelial cell-derived exosomes in fibrosis holds promise for advancing the exploration of novel diagnostic biomarkers and clinical drug targets. In this review, we expand upon the pathogenic mechanisms of epithelium-derived exosomes and highlight their role in the fibrotic process by inducing inflammation and activating fibroblasts. In addition, we are particularly interested in the bioactive molecules carried by epithelial-derived exosomes and their potential value in the diagnosis and treatment of fibrosis and delineate the clinical utility of exosomes as an emerging therapeutic modality, highlighting their potential application in addressing various medical conditions.

DNA-Based Nanomaterials for Analysis of Extracellular Vesicles

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are cell-derived nanovesicles comprising a myriad of molecular cargo such as proteins and nucleic acids, playing essential roles in intercellular communication and physiological and pathological processes. EVs have received substantial attention as noninvasive biomarkers for disease diagnosis and prognosis. Owing to their ability to recognize protein and nucleic acid targets, DNA-based nanomaterials with excellent programmability and modifiability provide a promising tool for the sensitive and accurate detection of molecular cargo carried by EVs. In this perspective, recent advancements in EV analysis using a variety of DNA-based nanomaterials are summarized, which can be broadly classified into three categories: linear DNA probes, DNA nanostructures, and hybrid DNA nanomaterials. The design, construction, advantages, and disadvantages of different types of DNA nanomaterials, as well as their performance for detecting EVs are reviewed. The challenges and opportunities in the field of EV analysis by DNA nanomaterials are also discussed.

Exosomes in the pathogenesis and treatment of cancer-related cachexia

Cancer-related cachexia is a metabolic syndrome characterized by weight loss, adipose tissue decomposition, and progressive skeletal muscle atrophy. It is a major complication of many advanced cancers and seriously affects the quality of life and survival of cancer patients. However, the specific molecules that mediate cancer-related cachexia remain elusive, and the fundamental cellular and molecular mechanisms associated with muscle atrophy and lipidolysis in cancer patients still need to be investigated. Exosomes, a newly discovered class of small extracellular vesicles that facilitate intercellular communication, have a significant role in the onset and development of various cancers. Studies have shown that exosomes play a role in the onset and progression of cancer-related cachexia by transporting active molecules such as nucleic acids and proteins. This review aimed to provide an overview of exosome developments in cancer-induced skeletal muscle atrophy and adipose tissue degradation. More importantly, exosomes were shown to have potential as diagnostic markers or therapeutic strategies for cachexia and were prospected, providing novel strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer-related cachexia.

Electrochemical detection of extracellular vesicles for early diagnosis: a focus on disease biomarker analysis

This review article presents a detailed examination of the integral role that electrochemical detection of extracellular vesicles (EVs) plays, particularly focusing on the potential application for early disease diagnostics through EVs biomarker analysis. Through an exploration of the benefits and challenges presented by electrochemical detection vetted for protein, lipid, and nucleic acid biomarker analysis, we underscore the significance of these techniques. Evidence from recent studies renders this detection modality imperative in identifying diverse biomarkers from EVs, leading to early diagnosis of diseases such as cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. Recent advancements that have led to enhanced sensitivity, specificity and point-of-care testing (POCT) potential are elucidated, along with equipment deployed for electrochemical detection. The review concludes with a contemplation of future perspectives, recognizing the potential shifts in disease diagnostics and prognosis, necessary advances for broad adoption, and potential areas of ongoing research. The objective is to propel further investigation into this rapidly burgeoning field, thereby facilitating a potential paradigm shift in disease detection, monitoring, and treatment toward human health management.

Exosome Isolation and Detection: From Microfluidic Chips to Nanoplasmonic Biosensor

Exosomes are becoming more widely acknowledged as significant circulating indicators for the prognosis and diagnosis of cancer. Circulating exosomes are essential to the development and spread of cancer, according to a growing body of research. Using existing technology, characterizing exosomes is quite difficult. Therefore, a direct, sensitive, and targeted approach to exosome detection will aid in illness diagnosis and prognosis. The review discusses the new strategies for exosome isolation and detection technologies from microfluidic chips to nanoplasmonic biosensors, analyzing the advantages and limitations of these new technologies. This review serves researchers to better understand exosome isolation and detection methods and to help develop better exosome isolating and detecting devices for clinical applications.