scholarly journals Extracellular Vesicles: Intercellular Communication Mediators in Antiphospholipid Syndrome

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ula Štok ◽  
Saša Čučnik ◽  
Snežna Sodin-Šemrl ◽  
Polona Žigon

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by thrombosis, obstetric complications and the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) that cause endothelial injury and thrombophilia. Extracellular vesicles are involved in endothelial and thrombotic pathologies and may therefore have an influence on the prothrombotic status of APS patients. Intercellular communication and connectivity are important mechanisms of interaction between healthy and pathologically altered cells. Despite well-characterized in vitro and in vivo models of APS pathology, the field of extracellular vesicles is still largely unexplored and could therefore provide an insight into the APS mechanism and possibly serve as a biomarker to identify patients at increased risk. The analysis of EVs poses a challenge due to the lack of standardized technology for their isolation and characterization. Recent findings in the field of EVs offer promising aspects that may explain their role in the pathogenesis of various diseases, including APS.

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. 4689
Author(s):  
Ula Štok ◽  
Saša Čučnik ◽  
Snežna Sodin-Šemrl ◽  
Polona Žigon

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a systemic autoimmune disorder characterized by thromboembolism, obstetric complications, and the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL). Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a key role in intercellular communication and connectivity and are known to be involved in endothelial and vascular pathologies. Despite well-characterized in vitro and in vivo models of APS pathology, the field of EVs remains largely unexplored. This review recapitulates recent findings on the role of EVs in APS, focusing on their contribution to endothelial dysfunction. Several studies have found that APS patients with a history of thrombotic events have increased levels of EVs, particularly of endothelial origin. In obstetric APS, research on plasma levels of EVs is limited, but it appears that levels of EVs are increased. In general, there is evidence that EVs activate endothelial cells, exhibit proinflammatory and procoagulant effects, interact directly with cell receptors, and transfer biological material. Future studies on EVs in APS may provide new insights into APS pathology and reveal their potential as biomarkers to identify patients at increased risk.


Membranes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 411
Author(s):  
Nader Kameli ◽  
Anya Dragojlovic-Kerkache ◽  
Paul Savelkoul ◽  
Frank R. Stassen

In recent years, plant-derived extracellular vesicles (PDEVs) have gained the interest of many experts in fields such as microbiology and immunology, and research in this field has exponentially increased. These nano-sized particles have provided researchers with a number of interesting findings, making their application in human health and disease very promising. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments have shown that PDEVs can exhibit a multitude of effects, suggesting that these vesicles may have many potential future applications, including therapeutics and nano-delivery of compounds. While the preliminary results are promising, there are still some challenges to face, such as a lack of protocol standardization, as well as knowledge gaps that need to be filled. This review aims to discuss various aspects of PDEV knowledge, including their preliminary findings, challenges, and future uses, giving insight into the complexity of conducting research in this field.


Author(s):  
Birte Weber ◽  
Niklas Franz ◽  
Ingo Marzi ◽  
Dirk Henrich ◽  
Liudmila Leppik

AbstractDue to the continued high incidence and mortality rate worldwide, there is a need to develop new strategies for the quick, precise, and valuable recognition of presenting injury pattern in traumatized and poly-traumatized patients. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been shown to facilitate intercellular communication processes between cells in close proximity as well as distant cells in healthy and disease organisms. miRNAs and proteins transferred by EVs play biological roles in maintaining normal organ structure and function under physiological conditions. In pathological conditions, EVs change the miRNAs and protein cargo composition, mediating or suppressing the injury consequences. Therefore, incorporating EVs with their unique protein and miRNAs signature into the list of promising new biomarkers is a logical next step. In this review, we discuss the general characteristics and technical aspects of EVs isolation and characterization. We discuss results of recent in vitro, in vivo, and patients study describing the role of EVs in different inflammatory diseases and traumatic organ injuries. miRNAs and protein signature of EVs found in patients with acute organ injury are also debated.


2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (Supplement_6) ◽  
pp. vi213-vi213
Author(s):  
Nadim Tawil ◽  
Rayhaan Bassawon ◽  
Brian Meehan ◽  
Laura Montermini ◽  
Ali Nehme ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND Vascular anomalies, including thrombosis, are a hallmark of glioblastoma (GBM) and an aftermath of dysregulated cancer cell genome and epigenome. Up-regulation of podoplanin (PDPN) by cancer cells has recently been linked to an increased risk of venous thromboembolism in glioblastoma patients. Thus, regulation of this platelet activating protein by transforming events and release from cancer cells is of considerable interest. AIMS I. Investigate the pattern of PDPN expression and characterize PDPN-expressing cellular populations in GBM. II. Evaluate the contribution of oncogenic drivers to PDPN expression in GBM models. III. Investigate the potential involvement of extracellular vesicles (EVs) as a mechanism for systemic dissemination of PDPN and tissue factor (TF). IV. Examine the role of PDPN in intratumoral and systemic thrombosis. METHODS Bioinformatics (single-cell and bulk transcriptome data mining), GBM cell lines and stem cell lines, xenograft models in mice, ELISA assays for PDPN and TF, platelet (PF4) and clotting activation markers (D-dimer), EV electron microscopy, density gradient fractionation, and nano-flow cytometry. RESULTS PDPN is expressed by distinct glioblastoma cell subpopulations (mesenchymal) and downregulated by oncogenic mutations of EGFR and IDH1 genes, via changes in chromatin modifications (EZH2) and DNA methylation, respectively. GBM cells exteriorize PDPN and/or TF as cargo of exosome-like EVs shed both in vitro and in vivo. Injection of glioma PDPN-EVs activates platelets. Increase of platelet activation (PF4) or coagulation markers (D-dimer) occurs in mice harboring the corresponding glioma xenografts expressing PDPN or TF, respectively. Co-expression of PDPN and TF by GBM cells cooperatively increases tumor microthrombosis. CONCLUSION Distinct cellular subsets drive multiple facets of GBM-associated thrombosis and may represent targets for diagnosis and intervention. We suggest that the preponderance of PDPN expression as a risk factor in glioblastoma and the involvement of platelets may merit investigating anti-platelets for potential inclusion in thrombosis management in GBM.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Noha Attia ◽  
Yasmine Khalifa ◽  
Dina Rostom ◽  
Mohamed Mashal

Liver fibrosis (LF) is a worldwide health problem that is associated with a range of complications and high mortality. Due to the scarcity of liver donors, mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy emerged as an alternative therapeutic strategy. However, it is widely accepted that most of the transplanted MSCs exhibit their therapeutic impact mainly via a bystander paracrine (medicinal) capacity. In addition to their secretory proteins, MSCs also produce various types of extracellular vesicles (EVs) that are classified into three main subtypes: microvesicles, exosomes and apoptotic bodies. Thanks to their peculiar cargo composition (e.g., proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids), EVs serve as an advantageous candidate for cell-free therapy. Recently, MSC-derived EVs (MSC-EVs) have gained the podium due to their regenerative and immunomodulatory effect. In mitigation/treatment of LF, a plethora of recent studies have shown the anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic and cytoprotective effects of both MSCs and MSC-EVs in various in vitro and in vivo models of LF. However, despite the limited evidence, we sought in this mini review to sort out the established data and formulate several challenging questions that must be answered to pave the way for further clinical applications. One of the major questions to ask is “Which is the best therapeutic approach, MSCs or MSC-EVs?” We tried to highlight how difficult it might be to compare the two approaches while our understanding of both candidates is still deficient. Among the major obstacles against such comparison is the inaccurate equivalent dose determination, the unknown in vivo behavior, and the undetermined lifespan/fate of each. Currently, the fields of MSCs and MSC-EVs seem to be rich in ideas but lacking in appropriate technologies to test these ideas. Nevertheless, continuous efforts are likely to help resolve some of the challenges listed here.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (6) ◽  
pp. 1682-1694
Author(s):  
Nadim Tawil ◽  
Rayhaan Bassawon ◽  
Brian Meehan ◽  
Ali Nehme ◽  
Laura Montermini ◽  
...  

Abstract Vascular anomalies, including local and peripheral thrombosis, are a hallmark of glioblastoma (GBM) and an aftermath of deregulation of the cancer cell genome and epigenome. Although the molecular effectors of these changes are poorly understood, the upregulation of podoplanin (PDPN) by cancer cells has recently been linked to an increased risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE) in GBM patients. Therefore, regulation of this platelet-activating protein by transforming events in cancer cells is of considerable interest. We used single-cell and bulk transcriptome data mining, as well as cellular and xenograft models in mice, to analyze the nature of cells expressing PDPN, as well as their impact on the activation of the coagulation system and platelets. We report that PDPN is expressed by distinct (mesenchymal) GBM cell subpopulations and downregulated by oncogenic mutations of EGFR and IDH1 genes, along with changes in chromatin modifications (enhancer of zeste homolog 2) and DNA methylation. Glioma cells exteriorize their PDPN and/or tissue factor (TF) as cargo of exosome-like extracellular vesicles (EVs) shed from cells in vitro and in vivo. Injection of glioma-derived podoplanin carrying extracelluar vesicles (PDPN-EVs) activates platelets, whereas tissue factor carrying extracellular vesicles (TF-EVs) activate the clotting cascade. Similarly, an increase in platelet activation (platelet factor 4) or coagulation (D-dimer) markers occurs in mice harboring the corresponding glioma xenografts expressing PDPN or TF, respectively. Coexpression of PDPN and TF by GBM cells cooperatively affects tumor microthrombosis. Thus, in GBM, distinct cellular subsets drive multiple facets of cancer-associated thrombosis and may represent targets for phenotype- and cell type–based diagnosis and antithrombotic intervention.


Cells ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 1409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonia Simón Serrano ◽  
Alvar Grönberg ◽  
Lisa Longato ◽  
Krista Rombouts ◽  
Joseph Kuo ◽  
...  

Hepatic fibrosis can result as a pathological response to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Cirrhosis, the late stage of fibrosis, has been linked to poor survival and an increased risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma, with limited treatment options available. Therefore, there is an unmet need for novel effective antifibrotic compounds. Cyclophilins are peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerases that facilitate protein folding and conformational changes affecting the function of the targeted proteins. Due to their activity, cyclophilins have been presented as key factors in several stages of the fibrotic process. In this study, we investigated the antifibrotic effects of NV556, a novel potent sanglifehrin-based cyclophilin inhibitor, in vitro and in vivo. NV556 potential antifibrotic effect was evaluated in two well-established animal models of NASH, STAM, and methionine-choline-deficient (MCD) mice, as well as in an in vitro 3D human liver ECM culture of LX2 cells, a human hepatic stellate cell line. We demonstrate that NV556 decreased liver fibrosis in both STAM and MCD in vivo models and decreased collagen production in TGFβ1-activated hepatic stellate cells in vitro. Taken together, these results present NV556 as a potential candidate for the treatment of liver fibrosis.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paola Ciceri ◽  
Mario Cozzolino

Abstract Iron deficiency is a frequent comorbidity of cardiovascular (CV) diseases and nearly 50% of patients with heart failure (HF) with or without anaemia have low levels of available iron. There is a strong association between anaemia and the increase in mortality and hospitalizations in patients with CV disease and HF. Moreover, anaemia and chronic kidney disease (CKD) often coexist in patients with HF, with anaemia increasing the risk of death in these subjects and with a further increased risk in CKD population. The evidence that the treatment of iron deficiency and the increase in haemoglobin are associated with a better prognosis in HF patients has elicited new interest in the utilization of iron in HF and CKD patients. One of the central players in CV disease is vascular calcification (VC), which has been recognized as a major independent risk factor for incident CV disease and overall mortality in chronic disease patients. In this review, we summarize the evidences generated by clinical trials aimed to study the effect of iron deficiency correction, the effect of iron-based phosphate binder in in vivo models of kidney failure and the effect of iron in in vitro models of VC, trying to give an overview of the present knowledge on iron effect and its mechanisms of action.


2019 ◽  
Vol 93 (3) ◽  
pp. 168-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Jing Zhang ◽  
Yang Han ◽  
Yu-Zhe Sun ◽  
Hang-Hang Jiang ◽  
Min Liu ◽  
...  

2013 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 237-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jameel M. Inal ◽  
Una Fairbrother ◽  
Sheelagh Heugh

The important roles of extracellular vesicles in the pathogenesis of various diseases are rapidly being elucidated. As important vehicles of intercellular communication, extracellular vesicles, which comprise microvesicles and exosomes, are revealing important roles in cancer tumorigenesis and metastases and in the spread of infectious disease. The September 2012 Focused Meeting ‘Microvesiculation and Disease’ brought together researchers working on extracellular vesicles. The papers in this issue of Biochemical Society Transactions review work in areas including HIV infection, kidney disease, hypoxia-mediated tumorigenesis and down-regulation of immune cell functions in acute myeloid leukaemia by tumour-derived exosomes. In all cases, microvesicles and exosomes have been demonstrated to be important factors leading to the pathophysiology of disease or indeed as therapeutic vehicles in possible new treatments. The aim was, having enhanced our molecular understanding of the contribution of microvesicles and exosomes to disease in vitro, to begin to apply this knowledge to in vivo models of disease.


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