Extracellular vesicle and particle isolation from human and murine cell lines, tissues, and bodily fluids.

We developed a modified protocol, based on differential ultracentrifugation (dUC), to isolate extracellular vesicles and particles (specifically exomeres) (EVPs) from various human and murine sources, including cell lines, surgically resected tumors and adjacent tissues, and bodily fluids, such as blood, lymphatic fluid, and bile. The diversity of these samples requires robust and highly reproducible protocols and refined isolation technology, such as asymmetric-flow field-flow fractionation (AF4). Our isolation protocol allows for preparation of EVPs for various downstream applications, including proteomic profiling. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Hoshino et al. (2020).

Extracellular Vesicle and Particle Biomarkers Define Multiple Human Cancers.

There is an unmet clinical need for improved tissue and liquid biopsy tools for cancer detection. We investigated the proteomic profile of extracellular vesicles and particles (EVPs) in 426 human samples from tissue explants (TEs), plasma, and other bodily fluids. Among traditional exosome markers, CD9, HSPA8, ALIX, and HSP90AB1 represent pan-EVP markers, while ACTB, MSN, and RAP1B are novel pan-EVP markers. To confirm that EVPs are ideal diagnostic tools, we analyzed proteomes of TE- (n = 151) and plasma-derived (n = 120) EVPs. Comparison of TE EVPs identified proteins (e.g., VCAN, TNC, and THBS2) that distinguish tumors from normal tissues with 90% sensitivity/94% specificity. Machine-learning classification of plasma-derived EVP cargo, including immunoglobulins, revealed 95% sensitivity/90% specificity in detecting cancer. Finally, we defined a panel of tumor-type-specific EVP proteins in TEs and plasma, which can classify tumors of unknown primary origin. Thus, EVP proteins can serve as reliable biomarkers for cancer detection and determining cancer type.