Proteomic content of circulating exosomes in dairy cows with or without uterine infection

miR-331-depleted exosomes derived from injured endometrial epithelial cells promote macrophage activation during endometritis

Exosomes are natural carriers of biological macromolecules that are involved in the pathogenesis of a wide variety of inflammatory diseases. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of exosomes derived from injured endometrial epithelial cells (EECs) in the development of endometritis. We isolated exosomes derived from LPS-injured EECs and identified these exosomes as proinflammatory mediators that can be internalized by macrophages and thus induce proinflammatory macrophage activation. We further found that miR-331 expression was sharply downregulated in exosomes derived from LPS-injured EECs and that macrophages treated with these exosomes also presented a lower level of miR-331. Importantly, the pathogenic role of exosomal miR-331 in promoting endometrial inflammation was revealed by the ability of adoptively transferred EECs-derived exosomes to cause macrophage activation, and this was reversed by miR-331 overexpression. Mechanistically, overexpression of miR-331 in macrophages mitigated NF-κB p65 phosphorylation by inhibiting the Notch1/IKKα pathway, which in turn curbed macrophage activation. In vivo assays further unveiled that miR-331 expression is negatively correlated with proinflammatory macrophage activation and that miR-331 upregulation markedly slowed disease progression in mice with endometritis. The exosome/miR-331/Notch1 axis plays a critical pathological role in endometrial inflammation, representing a new therapeutic target for endometritis.

A systematic review of predictive, diagnostic, and prognostic biomarkers for detecting reproductive diseases in cattle using traditional and omics approaches

Reproductive diseases and illnesses pose significant challenges in cattle farming, affecting fertility, milk production, and overall herd health. In recent years, the integration of various omics approaches, including transcriptomics, proteomics, metagenomics, miRNAomics, and metabolomics, has revolutionized the study of these conditions. This systematic review summarised the findings from studies that investigated reproductive disease biomarkers in both male and female cattle. After extracting 6137 studies according to exclusion and inclusion criteria, a total of 60 studies were included in this review. All studies identified were associated with female cattle and none were related to reproductive diseases in bulls. The analysis highlights specific biomarkers, metabolic pathways, and microbial compositions associated with bovine reproductive disease conditions, providing valuable insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms of disease. Pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-8, IL-4, IL-6, TNFα and acute-phase response proteins such as SAA and HP have been identified as promising biomarkers for bovine reproductive diseases. However, further research is needed to validate these markers clinically and to explore potential strategies for improving cow reproductive health. The role of bulls as carriers of venereal diseases has been underestimated in the current literature and therefore needs more attention to understand their impact on infectious reproductive diseases of female cattle.

Selecting potential biomarkers of plasma proteins in mares with endometritis

BACKGROUND

Endometritis is a common condition in mares that causes significant economic loss. Lacking obvious clinical signs, the clinical diagnosis of endometritis in mares relies on case-by-case clinical examinations, which can be particularly inefficient in large-scale farms. Therefore, the identification of potential biomarkers can serve as a non-invasive and efficient screening technique for endometritis in mares.

OBJECTIVES

To compare the blood proteome between fertile mares and mares with endometritis to identify biomarkers potentially associated with the development of endometritis and validate their predictive potential.

STUDY DESIGN

Observational and experimental study.

METHODS

Differentially expressed proteins were identified via Data Independent Acquisition (DIA) proteomic profiling in a screening cohort composed of eight healthy mares and eight mares with endometritis. Subsequently, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed that included a validation cohort of 40 healthy mares and 40 mares with endometritis to verify the accuracy and sensitivity of the identified proteins, thereby establishing a diagnostic threshold.

RESULTS

In the screening cohort, 12 proteins were significantly differentially expressed between endometritis mares and healthy controls (p < 0.05, outside the 1/1.2 to 1.2-fold). In the validation experiment, all six screened proteins were assessed with area under the curve (AUC) >0.8.

MAIN LIMITATIONS

The samples displayed certain levels of individual heterogeneity, and the number of samples analysed was limited. Additionally, the identified biomarkers were primarily associated with generalised inflammation, which potentially limited their specificity for endometritis.

CONCLUSION

Levels of plasma proteins are sensitive indicators of equine endometritis and potential tools for endometritis screening. In plasma, fetuin B, von Willebrand factor, vitamin K-dependent protein C, insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3, interleukin 1 receptor accessory protein, and type II cell cytoskeleton showed great predictive ability, with fetuin B being the best predictor (AUC = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.89-0.98), which performs better when combined with all six detected proteins (AUC = 1, 95% CI: 0.99-1.00).

Investigation of Uterine Fluid Extracellular Vesicles' Proteomic Profiles Provides Novel Diagnostic Biomarkers of Bovine Endometritis

Cow uterine infections pose a challenge in dairy farming, resulting in reproductive disorders. Uterine fluid extracellular vesicles (UF-EVs) play a key role in cell-to-cell communication in the uterus, potentially holding the signs of aetiology for endometritis. We used mass spectrometry-based quantitative shotgun proteomics to compare UF-EV proteomic profiles in healthy cows (H), cows with subclinical (SE) or clinical endometritis (CLE) sampled at 28-35 days postpartum. Functional analysis was performed on embryo cultures with the exposure to different EV types. A total of 248 UF-EV proteins exhibited differential enrichment between the groups. Interestingly, in SE, EV protein signature suggests a slight suppression of inflammatory response compared to CLE-UF-EVs, clustering closer with healthy cows' profile. Furthermore, CLE-UF-EVs proteomic profile highlighted pathways associated with cell apoptosis and active inflammation aimed at pathogen elimination. In SE-UF-EVs, the regulation of normal physiological status was aberrant, showing cell damage and endometrial repair at the same time. Serine peptidase HtrA1 (HTRA1) emerged as a potential biomarker for SE. Supplementation of CLE- and SE-derived UF-EVs reduced the embryo developmental rates and quality. Therefore, further research is warranted to elucidate the precise aetiology of SE in cattle, and HTRA1 should be further explored as a potential diagnostic biomarker.

Emerging role of extracellular vesicles in veterinary practice: novel opportunities and potential challenges

Extracellular vesicles are nanoscale vesicles that transport signals between cells, mediating both physiological and pathological processes. EVs facilitate conserved intercellular communication. By transferring bioactive molecules between cells, EVs coordinate systemic responses, regulating homeostasis, immunity, and disease progression. Given their biological importance and involvement in pathogenesis, EVs show promise as biomarkers for veterinary diagnosis, and candidates for vaccine production, and treatment agents. Additionally, different treatment or engineering methods could be used to boost the capability of extracellular vesicles. Despite the emerging veterinary interest, EV research has been predominantly human-based. Critical knowledge gaps remain regarding isolation protocols, cargo loading mechanisms, in vivo biodistribution, and species-specific functions. Standardized methods for veterinary EV characterization and validation are lacking. Regulatory uncertainties impede veterinary clinical translation. Advances in fundamental EV biology and technology are needed to propel the veterinary field forward. This review introduces EVs from a veterinary perspective by introducing the latest studies, highlighting their potential while analyzing challenges to motivate expanded veterinary investigation and translation.

Proteomic Approaches to Unravel the Molecular Dynamics of Early Pregnancy in Farm Animals: An In-Depth Review

Infertility is a major problem in farm animals, which has a negative economic effect on farm industries. Infertility can be defined as the inability of animals to achieve a successful pregnancy. Early pregnancy is crucial to establish a successful pregnancy, and it is reported that 70-80% and 20-30% of total embryonic loss occur in cattle and pigs, respectively, during the first month of pregnancy. The advanced high-throughput proteomics techniques provide valuable tools for in-depth understanding of the implantation process in farm animals. In the present review, our goal was to compile, assess, and integrate the latest proteomic research on farm animals, specifically focused on female reproduction, which involves endometrial tissues, uterine fluids, oviductal fluids, and microRNAs. The series of studies has provided in-depth insights into the events of the implantation process by unfolding the molecular landscape of the uterine tract. The discussed data are related to pregnant vs. non-pregnant animals, pregnancy vs. oestrous cycle, different days of the early pregnancy phase, and animals with uterine infections affecting reproduction health. Some of the studies have utilized non-invasive methods and in vitro models to decipher the molecular events of embryo-maternal interaction. The proteomics data are valuable sources for discovering biomarkers for infertility in ruminants and new regulatory pathways governing embryo-uterine interaction, endometrium receptivity, and embryonic development. Here, we envisage that the identified protein signatures can serve as potential therapeutic targets and biomarkers to develop new therapeutics against pregnancy diseases.

Dynamics of inflammatory cytokine expression in bovine endometrial cells exposed to cow blood plasma small extracellular vesicles (sEV) may reflect high fertility

Aberrant inflammation in the endometrium impairs reproduction and leads to poor fertility. Small extracellular vesicles (sEV) are nanoparticles 30-200 nm in-size and contain transferable bioactive molecules that reflect the parent cell. Holstein-Friesian dairy cows with divergent genetic merit, high- (n = 10) and low-fertile (n = 10), were identified based on fertility breeding value (FBV), cow ovulation synchronization and postpartum anovulatory intervals (PPAI). In this study, we evaluated the effects of sEVs enriched from plasma of high-fertile (HF-EXO) and low-fertile (LF-EXO) dairy cows on inflammatory mediator expression by bovine endometrial epithelial (bEEL) and stromal (bCSC) cells. Exposure to HF-EXO in bCSC and bEEL cells yielded lower expression of PTGS1 and PTGS2 compared to the control. In bCSC cells exposed to HF-EXO, pro-inflammatory cytokine IL1-α was downregulated compared to the untreated control, IL-12α and IL-8 were downregulated compared to the LF-EXO treatment. Our findings demonstrate that sEVs interact with both endometrial epithelial and stromal cells to initiate differential gene expression, specifically genes relate to inflammation. Therefore, even subtle changes on the inflammatory gene cascade in the endometrium via sEV may affect reproductive performance and/or outcomes. Further, sEV from high-fertile animals acts in a unique direction to deactivate prostaglandin synthases in both bCSC and bEEL cells and deactivate pro-inflammatory cytokines in the endometrial stroma. The results suggest that circulating sEV may serve as a potential biomarker of fertility.

A Comparison of Blood Plasma Small Extracellular Vesicle Enrichment Strategies for Proteomic Analysis

Proteomic analysis of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) poses a significant challenge. A ‘gold-standard’ method for plasma sEV enrichment for downstream proteomic analysis is yet to be established. Methods were evaluated for their capacity to successfully isolate and enrich sEVs from plasma, minimise the presence of highly abundant plasma proteins, and result in the optimum representation of sEV proteins by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Plasma from four cattle (Bos taurus) of similar physical attributes and genetics were used. Three methods of sEV enrichment were utilised: ultracentrifugation (UC), size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), and ultrafiltration (UF). These methods were combined to create four groups for methodological evaluation: UC + SEC, UC + SEC + UF, SEC + UC and SEC + UF. The UC + SEC method yielded the highest number of protein identifications (IDs). The SEC + UC method reduced plasma protein IDs compared to the other methods, but also resulted in the lowest number of protein IDs overall. The UC + SEC + UF method decreased sEV protein ID, particle number, mean and mode particle size, particle yield, and did not improve purity compared to the UC + SEC method. In this study, the UC + SEC method was the best method for sEV protein ID, purity, and overall particle yield. Our data suggest that the method and sequence of sEV enrichment strategy impacts protein ID, which may influence the outcome of biomarker discovery studies.

Nucleic Acid Substrate-Independent DNA Polymerization on the Exosome Membrane: A Mechanism Study and Application in Exosome Analysis

As generally acknowledged, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) can only elongate DNA substrates from their 3'-OH ends. Herein, for the first time, we report that TdT-catalyzed DNA polymerization can directly proceed on the exosome membrane without the mediation of any nucleic acids. We prove that both the glycosyl and phenolic hydroxyl groups on the membrane proteins can initiate the DNA polymerization. Accordingly, we have developed powerful strategies for high-sensitive exosome profiling based on a conventional flow cytometer and an emerging CRISPR/Cas system. By using our strategy, the featured membrane protein distributions of different cancer cell-derived exosomes can be figured out, which can clearly distinguish plasma samples of breast cancer patients from those of healthy people. This work paves new ways for exosome profiling and liquid biopsy and expands the understanding of TdT, holding great significance in developing TdT-based sensing systems as well as establishing protein/nucleic acid hybrid biomaterials.

Proteomic profiling of plasma-derived small extracellular vesicles: a novel tool for understanding the systemic effects of tick burden in cattle

Cattle ticks pose a significant threat to the health and profitability of cattle herds globally. The investigation of factors leading to natural tick resistance in cattle is directed toward targeted breeding strategies that may combat cattle tick infestation on the genetic level. Exosomes (EXs), small extracellular vesicles (EVs) of 50 to 150 nm diameter, are released from all cell types into biofluids such as blood plasma and milk, have been successfully used in diagnostic and prognostic studies in humans, and can provide essential information regarding the overall health state of animals. Mass spectrometry (MS) is a highly sensitive proteomics application that can be used to identify proteins in a complex mixture and is particularly useful for biomarker development. In this proof of principle study, EXs were isolated from the blood plasma of cattle (Bos taurus) with high (HTR) and low tick resistance (LTR) (n = 3/group). Cattle were classified as HTR or LTR using a tick scoring system, and EXs isolated from the cattle blood plasma using an established protocol. EXs were subjected to MS analysis in data-dependent acquisition mode and protein search performed using Protein Pilot against the B. taurus proteome. A total of 490 unique proteins were identified across all samples. Of these, proteins present in all replicates from each group were selected for further analysis (HTR = 121; LTR = 130). Gene ontology analysis was performed using PANTHER GO online software tool. Proteins unique to HTR and LTR cattle were divided by protein class, of which 50% were associated with immunity/defense in the HTR group, whereas this protein class was not detected in EXs from LTR cattle. Similarly, unique proteins in HTR cattle were associated with B-cell activation, immunoglobins, immune response, and cellular iron ion homeostasis. In LTR cattle, unique exosomal proteins were associated with actin filament binding, purine nucleotide binding, plasma membrane protein complex, and carbohydrate derivative binding. This is the first study to demonstrate that MS analysis of EXs derived from the blood plasma of HTR and LTR cattle can be successfully applied to profile the systemic effects of tick burden.

Cattle ticks are a significant burden to cattle industries globally. Current methods to treat cattle ticks are costly and inefficient in the long term. It has been noted that while some cattle may exhibit a natural resistance to ticks, others carry a heavy tick burden. The study of small extracellular vesicles, or exosomes (EXs), isolated from cattle blood plasma provides a noninvasive way of analyzing changes at the cellular level and may be of use in understanding the systemic effects of tick burden or factors leading to natural resistance. The aim of this study was to assess high (HTR) and low tick resistance (LTR) cattle identified using a tick burden scoring system by analyzing the protein content of circulating EXs via qualitative proteomics analysis. We found that a class of proteins related to defense/immunity comprised 50% of proteins unique to HTR cattle, while this protein class was not detected in proteins unique to LTR cattle. Additionally, epidermal growth factor–calcium-binding protein domains were 2-fold increased in LTR cattle compared with HTR cattle, indicating a possible mechanism for widespread metabolic change. This is the first study to employ proteomic analysis of exosomal cargo as an approach to understanding the systemic effects of tick burden in cattle.

Metal-Organic Framework-Functionalized Paper-Based Electrochemical Biosensor for Ultrasensitive Exosome Assay

The exosome has emerged as a promising noninvasive biomarker for the early diagnosis of cancer. Therefore, it is highly desirable to develop simple, inexpensive, and user-friendly biosensors for convenient, sensitive, and quantitative exosome assay. Herein, we developed a simple and cost-efficient electrochemical biosensor by combining a metal-organic framework (MOF)-functionalized paper and a screen-printed electrode (SPE) for portable, ultrasensitive, and quantitative determination of cancer-derived exosomes. In principle, the biosensor relied on recognition of the exosome by Zr-MOFs and aptamer to initiate the hybridization chain reaction (HCR) and the formation of DNAzyme for signal amplification. Benefiting from the high signal amplification ability of HCR, the label-free paper-based biosensor is capable of ultrasensitive exosome assay with a detection limit down to 5 × 10³ particles/mL, which is superior to that of most reported methods. Moreover, the proposed paper-based biosensor possessed the advantages of low cost, simple operation, and high sensitivity, making it affordable and deliverable for point-of-care (POC) diagnosis in resource-limited settings.

Extracellular Vesicles: Novel Opportunities to Understand and Detect Neoplastic Diseases

With a size range from 30 to 1000 nm, extracellular vesicles (EVs) are one of the smallest cell components able to transport biologically active molecules. They mediate intercellular communications and play a fundamental role in the maintenance of tissue homeostasis and pathogenesis in several types of diseases. In particular, EVs actively contribute to cancer initiation and progression, and there is emerging understanding of their role in creation of the metastatic niche. This fact underlies the recent exponential growth in EV research, which has improved our understanding of their specific roles in disease and their potential applications in diagnosis and therapy. EVs and their biomolecular cargo reflect the state of the diseased donor cells, and can be detected in body fluids and exploited as biomarkers in cancer and other diseases. Relatively few studies have been published on EVs in the veterinary field. This review provides an overview of the features and biology of EVs as well as recent developments in EV research including techniques for isolation and analysis, and will address the way in which the EVs released by diseased tissues can be studied and exploited in the field of veterinary pathology. Uniquely, this review emphasizes the important contribution that pathologists can make to the field of EV research: pathologists can help EV scientists in studying and confirming the role of EVs and their molecular cargo in diseased tissues and as biomarkers in liquid biopsies.

Exosomal Cargo May Hold the Key to Improving Reproductive Outcomes in Dairy Cows

The reproductive status of dairy cows remains a challenge for dairy farmers worldwide, with impaired fertility linked to a significant reduction in herd profitability, due in part to impaired immunity, increased metabolic pressure, and longer postpartum anestrous interval (PPAI). Exosomes are nanovesicles released from a variety of cell types and end up in circulation, and carry proteins, bioactive peptides, lipids, and nucleic acids specific to the place of origin. As such, their role in health and disease has been investigated in humans and animals. This review discusses research into exosomes in the context of reproduction in dairy herds and introduces recent advances in mass-spectrometry (MS) based proteomics that have a potential to advance quantitative profiling of exosomal protein cargo in a search for early biomarkers of cattle fertility.

The Role of Exosomal Epigenetic Modifiers in Cell Communication and Fertility of Dairy Cows

Abnormal uterine function affects conception rate and embryo development, thereby leading to poor fertility and reproduction failure. Exosomes are a nanosized subclass of extracellular vesicles (EV) that have important functions as intercellular communicators. They contain and carry transferable bioactive substances including micro RNA (miRNA) for target cells. Elements of the cargo can provide epigenetic modifications of the recipient cells and may have crucial roles in mechanisms of reproduction. The dairy industry accounts for a substantial portion of the economy of many agricultural countries. Exosomes can enhance the expression of inflammatory mediators in the endometrium, which contribute to various inflammatory diseases in transition dairy cows. This results in reduced fertility which leads to reduced milk production and increased cow maintenance costs. Thus, gaining a clear knowledge of exosomal epigenetic modifiers is critical to improving the breeding success and profitability of dairy farms. This review provides a brief overview of how exosomal miRNA contributes to inflammatory diseases and hence to poor fertility, particularly in dairy cows.

Engineering of exosome-triggered enzyme-powered DNA motors for highly sensitive fluorescence detection of tumor-derived exosomes

Tumor-derived exosomes containing multiple proteins originating from parent cancer cells have emerged as biomarkers for cancer diagnosis. Herein, we propose a three-dimensional DNA motor-based exosome assay platform for the selective and sensitive detection of exosomes. The DNA motor used gold nanoparticle (GNP) tracks, consisting of fluorescein-labeled substrate strands and aptamer-locked motor strands. Recognition of the target protein on exosomes by its aptamer unlocked the motor strand and triggered the DNA motor process. Powered by restriction endonuclease, the motor strands autonomously walked along the GNP track. Each movement step cleaved one substrate strand and restored one fluorescein molecule. For exosome detection, the proposed method displayed a broad dynamic range acrossing 5 orders of magnitude with the detection limit as low as 8.2 particles/μL in PBS. The method also exhibited good selectivity among different tumor-derived exosomes and performed well in complex biological samples. The capability to profile exosomal surface proteins efficiently endowed our DNA motor great potential for developing a simple and cost-effective device for clinical diagnosis.

MicroRNA Milk Exosomes: From Cellular Regulator to Genomic Marker

Recent advances in ruminants' milk-derived exosomes (EXO) have indicated a role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in cell-to-cell communication in dairy ruminants. The miRNAs EXO retain peculiar mechanisms of uptake from recipient cells, which enables the selective delivery of cargos, with a specific regulation of target genes. Although many studies have been published on the miRNAs contained in milk, less information is available on the role of miRNAs EXO, which are considered stable over time and resistant to digestion and milk processing. Several miRNAs EXO have been implicated in the cellular signaling pathway, as in the regulation of immune response. Moreover, they exert epigenetic control, as extenuating the expression of DNA methyltransferase 1. However, the study of miRNAs EXO is still challenging due to the difficulty of isolating EXO. In fact, there are not agreed protocols, and different methods, often time-consuming, are used, making it difficult to routinely process a large number of samples. The regulation of cell functions in mammary glands by miRNAs EXO, and their applications as genomic markers in livestock, is presented.

Post-Translational Protein Deimination Signatures in Serum and Serum-Extracellular Vesicles of Bos taurus Reveal Immune, Anti-Pathogenic, Anti-Viral, Metabolic and Cancer-Related Pathways for Deimination

The bovine immune system is known for its unusual traits relating to immunoglobulin and antiviral responses. Peptidylarginine deiminases (PADs) are phylogenetically conserved enzymes that cause post-translational deimination, contributing to protein moonlighting in health and disease. PADs also regulate extracellular vesicle (EV) release, forming a critical part of cellular communication. As PAD-mediated mechanisms in bovine immunology and physiology remain to be investigated, this study profiled deimination signatures in serum and serum-EVs in Bos taurus. Bos EVs were poly-dispersed in a 70-500 nm size range and showed differences in deiminated protein cargo, compared with whole sera. Key immune, metabolic and gene regulatory proteins were identified to be post-translationally deiminated with some overlapping hits in sera and EVs (e.g., immunoglobulins), while some were unique to either serum or serum-EVs (e.g., histones). Protein-protein interaction network analysis of deiminated proteins revealed KEGG pathways common for serum and serum-EVs, including complement and coagulation cascades, viral infection (enveloped viruses), viral myocarditis, bacterial and parasitic infections, autoimmune disease, immunodeficiency intestinal IgA production, B-cell receptor signalling, natural killer cell mediated cytotoxicity, platelet activation and hematopoiesis, alongside metabolic pathways including ferroptosis, vitamin digestion and absorption, cholesterol metabolism and mineral absorption. KEGG pathways specific to EVs related to HIF-1 signalling, oestrogen signalling and biosynthesis of amino acids. KEGG pathways specific for serum only, related to Epstein-Barr virus infection, transcription mis-regulation in cancer, bladder cancer, Rap1 signalling pathway, calcium signalling pathway and ECM-receptor interaction. This indicates differences in physiological and pathological pathways for deiminated proteins in serum-EVs, compared with serum. Our findings may shed light on pathways underlying a number of pathological and anti-pathogenic (viral, bacterial, parasitic) pathways, with putative translatable value to human pathologies, zoonotic diseases and development of therapies for infections, including anti-viral therapies.

The frontiers of biomedical science and its application to animal science in addressing the major challenges facing Australasian dairy farming

Extraordinary advances are occurring in biomedical science that may revolutionise how we approach health and disease. Many have applications in the dairy industry. We have described one particular area of extracellular vesicles that have already proven to be of interest in diagnostics and prognostics for fertility and assessment of ‘transition’ cows (i.e. evaluation of the problems related to the risk of clinical diseases in dairy cows, such as mastitis and milk fever, during transition period). The addition of measurements of circulating RNA and DNA may prove of value in identifying dairy cows with higher risks of clinical diseases and potentially poor fertility. We describe the exciting opportunity provided by the possibility of generating exosomes to order as therapeutic agents to potentially enhance fertility. The even more radical concept of using exosomes to deliver a CRISPR-linked gene editing function is presented. Undoubtedly, the use of biomedical advances to assist the dairy industry is an obvious and practical approach that has significant merit.

The Interplay between the Endocannabinoid System, Epilepsy and Cannabinoids

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that affects approximately 50 million people worldwide. There is currently no definitive epilepsy cure. However, in recent years, medicinal cannabis has been successfully trialed as an effective treatment for managing epileptic symptoms, but whose mechanisms of action are largely unknown. Lately, there has been a focus on neuroinflammation as an important factor in the pathology of many epileptic disorders. In this literature review, we consider the links that have been identified between epilepsy, neuroinflammation, the endocannabinoid system (ECS), and how cannabinoids may be potent alternatives to more conventional pharmacological therapies. We review the research that demonstrates how the ECS can contribute to neuroinflammation, and could therefore be modulated by cannabinoids to potentially reduce the incidence and severity of seizures. In particular, the cannabinoid cannabidiol has been reported to have anti-convulsant and anti-inflammatory properties, and it shows promise for epilepsy treatment. There are a multitude of signaling pathways that involve endocannabinoids, eicosanoids, and associated receptors by which cannabinoids could potentially exert their therapeutic effects. Further research is needed to better characterize these pathways, and consequently improve the application and regulation of medicinal cannabis.

Circulating exosomes may identify biomarkers for cows at risk for metabolic dysfunction

Disease susceptibility of dairy cows is greatest during the transition from pregnancy to lactation. Circulating exosomes may provide biomarkers to detect at-risk cows to enhance health and productivity. From 490 cows, animals at high- (n = 20) or low-risk (n = 20) of transition-related diseases were identified using plasma non-esterified fatty acid and β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations and liver triacylglyceride concentrations during the two weeks post-calving. We isolated circulating exosomes from plasma of dairy cows at low-risk (LR-EXO) and high-risk (HR-EXO), and analyzed their proteome profiles to determine markers for metabolic dysfunction. We evaluated the effects of these exosomes on eicosanoid pathway expression by bovine endometrial stromal (bCSC) and epithelial (bEEL) cells. HR-EXO had significantly lower yield of circulating exosomes compared with LR-EXO, and unique proteins were identified in HR-EXO and LR-EXO. Exposure to LR-EXO or HR-EXO differentially regulated eicosanoid gene expression and production in bCSC and bEEL cells. In bCSC, LR-EXO exposure increased PGE₂ and PGD₂ production, whereas HR-EXO exposure increased PTGS2 gene expression. In bEEL, HR-EXO exposure caused a decrease in PGE_2, PGF_2α, PGD₂, PGFM and TXB₂ production. The unique presence of serpin A3-7, coiled-coil domain containing 88A and inhibin/activin β A chain in HR-EXO, indicates potential biomarkers for cows at-risk for metabolic diseases. Our results are in line with the health status of the cow indicating a potential diagnostic role for exosomes in enhancing cows’ health and fertility.

Mass-Spectrometric Analysis of Proteome of Microvesicles Produced by NK-92 Natural Killer Cells

Membrane extracellular microvesicles serve as carriers of a wide range of molecules, the most important among these are proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Cytotoxic proteins of natural killer cells play a key role in the realization of their cytolytic functions. An important stage in understanding of the distant communication of cells and mechanisms of its regulation is analysis of the proteome composition of microvesicles. We studied the proteomic composition of microvesicles produced by NK-92 natural killer cells. Granzyme A, a specific protein of cytotoxic cells, has been identified in the microvesicles by QTOF-mass spectrometry. It was shown that heat shock proteins, components of the ubiquitin-proteasome system, enzymes of protein biosynthesis and energy metabolism, nuclear and serum proteins, as well as cytoskeleton proteins are associated with the microvesicles.