More Like this

1. Hyperspectral imaging-based exosome microarray for rapid molecular profiling of extracellular vesicles

   https://doi.org/10.1039/d0lc01006e  

   Wang, Yifei; Zhang, Qinming; Yuan, Wang; Wang, Yixuan; Loghry, Hannah J.; Zhao, Zijian; Kimber, Michael J.; Dong, Liang; Lu, Meng (January 2021, Lab on a Chip)

   null (Ed.)

   One of the challenges of exploiting extracellular vesicles (EVs) as a disease biomarker is to differentiate EVs released by similar cell types or phenotypes. This paper reports a high-throughput and label-free EV microarray technology to differentiate EVs by simultaneous characterization of a panel of EV membrane proteins. The EsupplV microarray platform, which consists of an array of antibodies printed on a photonic crystal biosensor and a microscopic hyperspectral imaging technique, can rapidly assess the binding of the EV membrane proteins with their corresponding antibodies. The EV microarray assay requires only a 2 μL sample volume and a detection time of less than 2 h. The EV microarray assay was validated by not only quantifying seven membrane proteins carried by macrophage-derived EVs but also distinguishing the EVs secreted by three macrophage phenotypes. In particular, the EV microarray technology can generate a molecular fingerprint of target EVs that can be used to identify the EVs' parental cells, and thus has utility for basic science research as well as for point-of-care disease diagnostics and therapeutics. 

   more » « less
2. Microbial vesicle-mediated communication: convergence to understand interactions within and between domains of life

   https://doi.org/10.1039/D1EM00022E  

   McMillan, Hannah M.; Rogers, Nicholas; Wadle, Austin; Hsu-Kim, Heileen; Wiesner, Mark R.; Kuehn, Meta J.; Hendren, Christine Ogilvie (May 2021, Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts)

   null (Ed.)

   All cells produce extracellular vesicles (EVs). These biological packages contain complex mixtures of molecular cargo and have a variety of functions, including interkingdom communication. Recent discoveries highlight the roles microbial EVs may play in the environment with respect to interactions with plants as well as nutrient cycling. These studies have also identified molecules present within EVs and associated with EV surfaces that contribute to these functions. In parallel, studies of engineered nanomaterials have developed methods to track and model small particle behavior in complex systems and measure the relative importance of various surface features on transport and function. While studies of EV behavior in complex environmental conditions have not yet employed transdisciplinary approaches, it is increasingly clear that expertise from disparate fields will be critical to understand the role of EVs in these systems. Here, we outline how the convergence of biology, soil geochemistry, and colloid science can both develop and address questions surrounding the basic principles governing EV-mediated interkingdom interactions. 

   more » « less
3. Growing pains: addressing the pitfalls of plant extracellular vesicle research

   https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.16725  

   Rutter, Brian D.; Innes, Roger W. (July 2020, New Phytologist)

   Summary Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small, membrane‐enclosed compartments that mediate the intercellular transport of proteins and small RNAs. In plants, EVs are thought to play a prominent role in immune responses and are being championed as the long‐sought‐after mechanism for host‐induced gene silencing. However, parallel research on mammalian EVs is raising concerns about potential pitfalls faced by all EV researchers that will need to be addressed in order to convincingly establish that EVs are the primary mediators of small RNA transfer between organisms. Here we discuss these pitfalls in the context of plant EV research, with a focus on experimental approaches required to distinguishbona fideEV cargo from merely co‐purifying contaminants. 

   more » « less
4. Extracellular vesicles: cross-organismal RNA trafficking in plants, microbes, and mammalian cells

   https://doi.org/10.20517/evcna.2023.10  

   Cai, Qiang; Halilovic, Lida; Shi, Ting; Chen, Angela; He, Baoye; Wu, Huaitong; Jin, Hailing (January 2023, Extracellular Vesicles and Circulating Nucleic Acids)

   Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-enclosed nanometer-scale particles that transport biological materials such as RNAs, proteins, and metabolites. EVs have been discovered in nearly all kingdoms of life as a form of cellular communication across different cells and between interacting organisms. EV research has primarily focused on EV-mediated intra-organismal transport in mammals, which has led to the characterization of a plethora of EV contents from diverse cell types with distinct and impactful physiological effects. In contrast, research into EV-mediated transport in plants has focused on inter-organismal interactions between plants and interacting microbes. However, the overall molecular content and functions of plant and microbial EVs remain largely unknown. Recent studies into the plant-pathogen interface have demonstrated that plants produce and secrete EVs that transport small RNAs into pathogen cells to silence virulence-related genes. Plant-interacting microbes such as bacteria and fungi also secrete EVs which transport proteins, metabolites, and potentially RNAs into plant cells to enhance their virulence. This review will focus on recent advances in EV-mediated communications in plant-pathogen interactions compared to the current state of knowledge of mammalian EV capabilities and highlight the role of EVs in cross-kingdom RNA interference. 

   more » « less
5. Lipopolysaccharide Administration Alters Extracellular Vesicles in Cell Lines and Mice

   https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-021-02348-5  

   Jones, Leandra B.; Kumar, Sanjay; Bell, Courtnee’ R.; Crenshaw, Brennetta J.; Coats, Mamie T.; Sims, Brian; Matthews, Qiana L. (March 2021, Current Microbiology)

   Abstract Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a fundamental role in cell and infection biology and have the potential to act as biomarkers for novel diagnostic tools. In this study, we explored the in vitro impact of bacterial lipopolysaccharide administration on cell lines that represents a target for bacterial infection in the host. Administration of lipopolysaccharide at varying concentrations to A549 and BV-2 cell lines caused only modest changes in cell death, but EV numbers were significantly changed. After treatment with the highest concentration of lipopolysaccharide, EVs derived from A549 cells packaged significantly less interleukin-6 and lysosomal-associated membrane protein 1. EVs derived from BV-2 cells packaged significantly less tumor necrosis factor after administration of lipopolysaccharide concentrations of 0.1 µg/mL and 1 µg/mL. We also examined the impact of lipopolysaccharide administration on exosome biogenesis and cargo composition in BALB/c mice. Serum-isolated EVs from lipopolysaccharide-treated mice showed significantly increased lysosomal-associated membrane protein 1 and toll-like receptor 4 levels compared with EVs from control mice. In summary, this study demonstrated that EV numbers and cargo were altered using these in vitro and in vivo models of bacterial infection. 

   more » « less