Therapeutic extracellular vesicle production is substantially increased by inhibition of cellular cholesterol biosynthesis.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a new therapeutic modality with the promise to treat many diseases through their ability to deliver diverse molecular cargo. As with other emerging modalities transitioning into the industrialization phase, all aspects of the manufacturing process are rich with opportunities to enhance the ability to deliver these medicines to patients. With the goal of improving cell culture EV productivity, we have utilized high throughput siRNA screens to identify the underlying genetic pathways that regulate EV productivity to inform rational host cell line engineering and media development approaches. The screens identified multiple metabolic pathways of potential interest; one of which was validated and shown to be a ready implementable, cost-effective strategy to increase EV titers. We show that both EV volumetric and specific productivity from HEK293 and CHO-S were increased in a dose and cell line-dependent manner up to ninefold when cholesterol synthesis was inhibited by the inclusion of statins in the cell culture media. In addition, we show in response to statin treatment, elevation of EV markers in mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) cell culture media suggesting this approach can also be applicable to MSC EVs. Furthermore, we show that the EVs produced from statin-treated HEK293 cultures are effectively loaded by both endogenous and exogenous loading methods and have equivalent in vitro or in vivo potency relative to EVs from untreated cultures.

Effects of mesenchymal stem cell-derived nanovesicles in experimental allergic airway inflammation.

BACKGROUND: Allergic asthma is associated with airflow obstruction and hyper-responsiveness that arises from airway inflammation and remodeling. Cell therapy with mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) has been shown to attenuate inflammation in asthma models, and similar effects have recently been observed using extracellular vesicles (EV) obtained from these cells. Biologically functional vesicles can also be artificially generated from MSC by extruding cells through membranes to produce EV-mimetic nanovesicles (NV). In this study, we aimed to determine the effects of different MSC-derived vesicles in a murine model of allergic airway inflammation. METHODS: EV were obtained through sequential centrifugation of serum-free media conditioned by human bone marrow MSC for 24 h. NV were produced through serial extrusion of the whole cells through filters. Both types of vesicles underwent density gradient purification and were quantified through nanoparticle tracking analysis. C57BL/6 mice were sensitized to ovalbumin (OVA, 8 µg), and then randomly divided into the OVA group (intranasally exposed to 100 µg OVA for 5 days) and control group (exposed to PBS). The mice were then further divided into groups that received 2 × 109 EV or NV (intranasally or intraperitoneally) or PBS immediately following the first OVA exposure. RESULTS: Administration of EV and NV reduced cellularity and eosinophilia in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid in OVA-sensitized and OVA-exposed mice. In addition, NV treatment resulted in decreased numbers of inflammatory cells within the lung tissue, and this was associated with lower levels of Eotaxin-2 in both BAL fluid and lung tissue. Furthermore, both intranasal and systemic administration of NV were effective in reducing inflammatory cells; however, systemic delivery resulted in a greater reduction of eosinophilia in the lung tissue. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our results indicate that MSC-derived NV significantly reduce OVA-induced allergic airway inflammation to a level comparable to EV. Thus, cell-derived NV may be a novel EV-mimetic therapeutic candidate for treating allergic diseases such as asthma.

In vivo tracking of [89Zr]Zr-labeled engineered extracellular vesicles by PET reveals organ-specific biodistribution based upon the route of administration.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have garnered increasing interest as delivery vehicles for multiple classes of therapeutics based on their role as mediators in an important, natural intercellular communication system. We recently described a platform to allow the design, production and in vivo study of human EVs with specific properties (drug or tropism modifiers). This article seeks to compare and expand upon historical biodistribution and kinetic data by comparing systemically and compartmentally administered labeled engineered EVs using in vivo and ex vivo techniques. METHODS: EVs were surface-labeled to high radiochemical purity and specific activity with 89Zirconium deferoxamine ([89Zr]Zr-DFO) and/or cy7-scrambled antisense oligonucleotide (Cy7-ExoASOscr), or luminally loaded with GFP for in vivo tracking in rodents and non-human primates (NHPs). Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and subsequent immunohistochemistry (IHC) and autoradiography (ARG) cross-validation enabled assessment of the anatomical and cellular distribution of labeled EVs both spatially and temporally. RESULTS: Over time, systemic administration of engineered EVs distributed preferentially to the liver and spleen (Intravenous, IV), gastrointestinal tract and lymph nodes (Intraperitoneal, IP) and local/regional lymph nodes (Subcutaneous, SC). Immunostaining of dissected organs displaying PET signal revealed co-localization of an EV marker (PTGFRN) with a subset of macrophage markers (CD206, F4/80, IBA1). Compartmental dosing into NHP cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) resulted in a heterogenous distribution of labeled EVs depending upon whether the route was intrathecal (ITH), intracisterna magna (ICM) or intracerebroventricular (ICV), compared to the homogeneous distribution observed in rodents. Thus anatomically, ITH administration in NHP revealed meningeal distribution along the neuraxis to the base of the skull. In contrast ICM and ICV dosing resulted in meningeal distribution around the skull and to the cervical and thoracic spinal column. Further characterization using IHC shows uptake in a subset of meningeal macrophages. CONCLUSIONS: The present studies provide a comprehensive assessment of the fate of robustly and reproducibly labeled engineered EVs across several mammalian species. The in vivo distribution was observed to be both spatially and temporally dependent upon the route of administration providing insight into potential targeting opportunities for engineered EVs carrying a therapeutic payload.

Exosome-mediated genetic reprogramming of tumor-associated macrophages by exoASO-STAT6 leads to potent monotherapy antitumor activity.

Effectiveness of checkpoint immunotherapy in cancer can be undermined by immunosuppressive tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) with an M2 phenotype. Reprogramming TAMs toward a proinflammatory M1 phenotype is a novel approach to induce antitumor immunity. The M2 phenotype is controlled by key transcription factors such as signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6), which have been "undruggable" selectively in TAMs. We describe an engineered exosome therapeutic candidate delivering an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) targeting STAT6 (exoASO-STAT6), which selectively silences STAT6 expression in TAMs. In syngeneic models of colorectal cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma, exoASO-STAT6 monotherapy results in >90% tumor growth inhibition and 50 to 80% complete remissions. Administration of exoASO-STAT6 leads to induction of nitric oxide synthase 2 (NOS2), an M1 macrophage marker, resulting in remodeling of the tumor microenvironment and generation of a CD8 T cell-mediated adaptive immune response. Collectively, exoASO-STAT6 represents the first platform targeting transcription factors in TAMs in a highly selective manner.

ExoSTING, an extracellular vesicle loaded with STING agonists, promotes tumor immune surveillance.

Cyclic dinucleotide (CDN) agonists of the STimulator of InterferoN Genes (STING) pathway have shown immune activation and tumor clearance in pre-clinical models. However, CDNs administered intratumorally also promote STING activation leading to direct cytotoxicity of many cell types in the tumor microenvironment (TME), systemic inflammation due to rapid tumor extravasation of the CDN, and immune ablation in the TME. These result in a failure to establish immunological memory. ExoSTING, an engineered extracellular vesicle (EV) exogenously loaded with CDN, enhances the potency of CDN and preferentially activates antigen presenting cells in the TME. Following intratumoral injection, exoSTING was retained within the tumor, enhanced local Th1 responses and recruitment of CD8+ T cells, and generated systemic anti-tumor immunity to the tumor. ExoSTING at therapeutically active doses did not induce systemic inflammatory cytokines, resulting in an enhanced therapeutic window. ExoSTING is a novel, differentiated therapeutic candidate that leverages the natural biology of EVs to enhance the activity of CDNs.

Exosome Surface Display of IL12 Results in Tumor-Retained Pharmacology with Superior Potency and Limited Systemic Exposure Compared with Recombinant IL12.

The promise of IL12 as a cancer treatment has yet to be fulfilled with multiple tested approaches being limited by unwanted systemic exposure and unpredictable pharmacology. To address these limitations, we generated exoIL12, a novel, engineered exosome therapeutic that displays functional IL12 on the surface of an exosome. IL12 exosomal surface expression was achieved via fusion to the abundant exosomal surface protein PTGFRN resulting in equivalent potency in vitro to recombinant IL12 (rIL12) as demonstrated by IFNγ production. Following intratumoral injection, exoIL12 exhibited prolonged tumor retention and greater antitumor activity than rIL12. Moreover, exoIL12 was significantly more potent than rIL12 in tumor growth inhibition. In the MC38 model, complete responses were observed in 63% of mice treated with exoIL12; in contrast, rIL12 resulted in 0% complete responses at an equivalent IL12 dose. This correlated with dose-dependent increases in tumor antigen-specific CD8+ T cells. Rechallenge studies of exoIL12 complete responder mice showed no tumor regrowth, and depletion of CD8+ T cells completely abrogated antitumor activity of exoIL12. Following intratumoral administration, exoIL12 exhibited 10-fold higher intratumoral exposure than rIL12 and prolonged IFNγ production up to 48 hours. Retained local pharmacology of exoIL12 was further confirmed using subcutaneous injections in nonhuman primates. This work demonstrates that tumor-restricted pharmacology of exoIL12 results in superior in vivo efficacy and immune memory without systemic IL12 exposure and related toxicity. ExoIL12 is a novel cancer therapeutic candidate that overcomes key limitations of rIL12 and thereby creates a therapeutic window for this potent cytokine.

A versatile platform for generating engineered extracellular vesicles with defined therapeutic properties.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are an important intercellular communication system facilitating the transfer of macromolecules between cells. Delivery of exogenous cargo tethered to the EV surface or packaged inside the lumen are key strategies for generating therapeutic EVs. We identified two "scaffold" proteins, PTGFRN and BASP1, that are preferentially sorted into EVs and enable high-density surface display and luminal loading of a wide range of molecules, including cytokines, antibody fragments, RNA binding proteins, vaccine antigens, Cas9, and members of the TNF superfamily. Molecules were loaded into EVs at high density and exhibited potent in vitro activity when fused to full-length or truncated forms of PTGFRN or BASP1. Furthermore, these engineered EVs retained pharmacodynamic activity in a variety of animal models. This engineering platform provides a simple approach to functionalize EVs with topologically diverse macromolecules and represents a significant advance toward unlocking the therapeutic potential of EVs.

Subpopulations of extracellular vesicles from human metastatic melanoma tissue identified by quantitative proteomics after optimized isolation.

The majority of extracellular vesicle (EV) studies conducted to date have been performed on cell lines with little knowledge on how well these represent the characteristics of EVs in vivo. The aim of this study was to establish a method to isolate and categorize subpopulations of EVs isolated directly from tumour tissue. First we established an isolation protocol for subpopulations of EVs from metastatic melanoma tissue, which included enzymatic treatment (collagenase D and DNase). Small and large EVs were isolated with differential ultracentrifugation, and these were further separated into high and low-density (HD and LD) fractions. All EV subpopulations were then analysed in depth using electron microscopy, Bioanalyzer®, nanoparticle tracking analysis, and quantitative mass spectrometry analysis. Subpopulations of EVs with distinct size, morphology, and RNA and protein cargo could be isolated from the metastatic melanoma tissue. LD EVs showed an RNA profile with the presence of 18S and 28S ribosomal subunits. In contrast, HD EVs had RNA profiles with small or no peaks for ribosomal RNA subunits. Quantitative proteomics showed that several proteins such as flotillin-1 were enriched in both large and small LD EVs, while ADAM10 were exclusively enriched in small LD EVs. In contrast, mitofilin was enriched only in the large EVs. We conclude that enzymatic treatments improve EV isolation from dense fibrotic tissue without any apparent effect on molecular or morphological characteristics. By providing a detailed categorization of several subpopulations of EVs isolated directly from tumour tissues, we might better understand the function of EVs in tumour biology and their possible use in biomarker discovery.

Endosomal signalling via exosome surface TGFß-1.

Extracellular vesicles such as exosomes convey biological messages between cells, either by surface-to-surface interaction or by shuttling of bioactive molecules to a recipient cell's cytoplasm. Here we show that exosomes released by mast cells harbour both active and latent transforming growth factor ß-1 (TGFß-1) on their surfaces. The latent form of TGFß-1 is associated with the exosomes via heparinase-II and pH-sensitive elements. These vesicles traffic to the endocytic compartment of recipient human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) within 60 min of exposure. Further, the exosomes-associated TGFß-1 is retained within the endosomal compartments at the time of signalling, which results in prolonged cellular signalling compared to free-TGFß-1. These exosomes induce a migratory phenotype in primary MSCs involving SMAD-dependent pathways. Our results show that mast cell-derived exosomes are decorated with latent TGFß-1 and are retained in recipient MSC endosomes, influencing recipient cell migratory phenotype. We conclude that exosomes can convey signalling within endosomes by delivering bioactive surface ligands to this intracellular compartment.

Mitochondrial protein enriched extracellular vesicles discovered in human melanoma tissues can be detected in patient plasma.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), including exosomes and microvesicles, are secreted from all cells, and convey messages between cells in health and disease. However, the diversity of EV subpopulations is only beginning to be explored. Since EVs have been implicated in tumour microenvironmental communication, we started to determine the diversity of EVs specifically in this tissue. To do this, we isolated EVs directly from patient melanoma metastatic tissues. Using EV membrane isolation and mass spectrometry analysis, we discovered enrichment of mitochondrial membrane proteins in the melanoma tissue-derived EVs, compared to non-melanoma-derived EVs. Interestingly, two mitochondrial inner membrane proteins MT-CO2 (encoded by the mitochondrial genome) and COX6c (encoded by the nuclear genome) were highly prevalent in the plasma of melanoma patients, as well as in ovarian and breast cancer patients. Furthermore, this subpopulation of EVs contains active mitochondrial enzymes. In summary, tumour tissues are enriched in EVs with mitochondrial membrane proteins and these mitochondrial membrane proteins can be detected in plasma and are increased in melanoma, ovarian cancer as well as breast cancer.

DNA analysis of low- and high-density fractions defines heterogeneous subpopulations of small extracellular vesicles based on their DNA cargo and topology.

Extracellular vesicles have the capacity to transfer lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids between cells, thereby influencing the recipient cell's phenotype. While the role of RNAs in EVs has been extensively studied, the function of DNA remains elusive. Here, we distinguished novel heterogeneous subpopulations of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) based on their DNA content and topology. Low- and high-density sEV subsets from a human mast cell line (HMC-1) and an erythroleukemic cell line (TF-1) were separated using high-resolution iodixanol density gradients to discriminate the nature of the DNA cargo of the sEVs. Paired comparisons of the sEV-associated DNA and RNA molecules showed that RNA was more abundant than DNA and that most of the DNA was present in the high-density fractions, demonstrating that sEV subpopulations have different DNA content. DNA was predominately localised on the outside or surface of sEVs, with only a small portion being protected from enzymatic degradation. Whole-genome sequencing identified DNA fragments spanning all chromosomes and mitochondrial DNA when sEVs were analysed in bulk. Our work contributes to the understanding of how DNA is associated with sEVs and thus provides direction for distinguishing subtypes of EVs based on their DNA cargo and topology.

Mesenchymal stromal cell-derived nanovesicles ameliorate bacterial outer membrane vesicle-induced sepsis via IL-10.

BACKGROUND: Sepsis remains a source of high mortality in hospitalized patients despite proper antibiotic approaches. Encouragingly, mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) and their produced extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been shown to elicit anti-inflammatory effects in multiple inflammatory conditions including sepsis. However, EVs are generally released from mammalian cells in relatively low amounts, and high-yield isolation of EVs is still challenging due to a complicated procedure. To get over these limitations, vesicles very similar to EVs can be produced by serial extrusions of cells, after which they are called nanovesicles (NVs). We hypothesized that MSC-derived NVs can attenuate the cytokine storm induced by bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) in mice, and we aimed to elucidate the mechanism involved. METHODS: NVs were produced from MSCs by the breakdown of cells through serial extrusions and were subsequently floated in a density gradient. Morphology and the number of NVs were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy and nanoparticle tracking analysis. Mice were intraperitoneally injected with Escherichia coli-derived OMVs to establish sepsis, and then injected with 2 × 109 NVs. Innate inflammation was assessed in peritoneal fluid and blood through investigation of infiltration of cells and cytokine production. The biodistribution of NVs labeled with Cy7 dye was analyzed using near-infrared imaging. RESULTS: Electron microscopy showed that NVs have a nanometer-size spherical shape and harbor classical EV marker proteins. In mice, NVs inhibited eye exudates and hypothermia, signs of a systemic cytokine storm, induced by intraperitoneal injection of OMVs. Moreover, NVs significantly suppressed cytokine release into the systemic circulation, as well as neutrophil and monocyte infiltration in the peritoneum. The protective effect of NVs was significantly reduced by prior treatment with anti-interleukin (IL)-10 monoclonal antibody. In biodistribution study, NVs spread to the whole mouse body and localized in the lung, liver, and kidney at 6 h. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these data indicate that MSC-derived NVs have beneficial effects in a mouse model of sepsis by upregulating the IL-10 production, suggesting that artificial NVs may be novel EV-mimetics clinically applicable to septic patients.

Detailed analysis of the plasma extracellular vesicle proteome after separation from lipoproteins.

The isolation of extracellular vesicles (EVs) from blood is of great importance to understand the biological role of circulating EVs and to develop EVs as biomarkers of disease. Due to the concurrent presence of lipoprotein particles, however, blood is one of the most difficult body fluids to isolate EVs from. The aim of this study was to develop a robust method to isolate and characterise EVs from blood with minimal contamination by plasma proteins and lipoprotein particles. Plasma and serum were collected from healthy subjects, and EVs were isolated by size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), with most particles being present in fractions 8-12, while the bulk of the plasma proteins was present in fractions 11-28. Vesicle markers peaked in fractions 7-11; however, the same fractions also contained lipoprotein particles. The purity of EVs was improved by combining a density cushion with SEC to further separate lipoprotein particles from the vesicles, which reduced the contamination of lipoprotein particles by 100-fold. Using this novel isolation procedure, a total of 1187 proteins were identified in plasma EVs by mass spectrometry, of which several proteins are known as EV-associated proteins but have hitherto not been identified in the previous proteomic studies of plasma EVs. This study shows that SEC alone is unable to completely separate plasma EVs from lipoprotein particles. However, combining SEC with a density cushion significantly improved the separation of EVs from lipoproteins and allowed for a detailed analysis of the proteome of plasma EVs, thus making blood a viable source for EV biomarker discovery.

Subpopulations of extracellular vesicles and their therapeutic potential.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), such as exosomes and microvesicles, have over the last 10-15 years been recognized to convey key messages in the molecular communication between cells. Indeed, EVs have the capacity to shuttle proteins, lipids, and nucleotides such as RNA between cells, leading to an array of functional changes in the recipient cells. Importantly, the EV secretome changes significantly in diseased cells and under conditions of cellular stress. More recently, it has become evident that the EV secretome is exceptionally diverse, with many different types of EVs being released by a single cell type, and these EVs can be described in terms of differences in density, molecular cargos, and morphology. This review will discuss the diversity of EVs, will introduce some suggestions for how to categorize them, and will propose how EVs and their subpopulations might be used for very different therapeutic purposes.

Escherichia coli outer membrane vesicles can contribute to sepsis induced cardiac dysfunction.

Sepsis induced cardiac dysfunction (SIC) is a severe complication to sepsis which significantly worsens patient outcomes. It is known that bacteria have the capacity to release outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), which are nano-sized bilayered vesicles composed of lipids and proteins, that can induce a fatal inflammatory response. The aim of this study was to determine whether OMVs from a uropathogenic Escherichia coli strain can induce cardiac dysfunction, and to elucidate any mechanisms involved. OMVs induced irregular Ca2+ oscillations with a decreased frequency in cardiomyocytes through recordings of intracellular Ca2+ dynamics. Mice were intraperitoneally injected with bacteria-free OMVs, which resulted in increased concentration of pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in blood. Cytokines were increased in heart lysates, and OMVs could be detected in the heart after OMVs injection. Troponin T was significantly increased in blood, and echocardiography showed increased heart wall thickness as well as increased heart rate. This study shows that E. coli OMVs induce cardiac injury in vitro and in vivo, in the absence of bacteria, and may be a causative microbial signal in SIC. The role of OMVs in clinical disease warrant further studies, as bacterial OMVs in addition to live bacteria may be good therapeutic targets to control sepsis.

Pediatric brain tumor cells release exosomes with a miRNA repertoire that differs from exosomes secreted by normal cells.

High-grade gliomas (HGGs) are very aggressive brain tumors with a cancer stem cell component. Cells, including cancer stem cells, release vesicles called exosomes which contain small non-coding RNAs such as microRNAs (miRNAs). These are thought to play an important role in cell-cell communication. However, we have limited knowledge of the types of exosomal miRNAs released by pediatric HGG stem cells; a prerequisite for exploring their potential roles in HGG biology. Here we isolated exosomes released by pediatric glioma stem cells (GSCs) and compared their repertoire of miRNAs to genetically normal neural stem cells (NSCs) exosomes, as well as their respective cellular miRNA content. Whereas cellular miRNAs are similar, we find that the exosomal miRNA profiles differ between normal and tumor cells, and identify several differentially expressed miRNAs. Of particular interest is miR-1290 and miR-1246, which have previously been linked to 'stemness' and invasion in other cancers. We demonstrate that GSC-secreted exosomes influence the gene expression of receiving NSCs, particularly targeting genes with a role in cell fate and tumorigenesis. Thus, our study shows that GSCs and NSCs have similar cellular miRNA profiles, yet differ significantly in the repertoire of exosomal miRNAs and these could influence malignant features of HGG.

Distinct prostate cancer-related mRNA cargo in extracellular vesicle subsets from prostate cell lines.

BACKGROUND: Multiple types of extracellular vesicles (EVs), including microvesicles (MVs) and exosomes (EXOs), are released by all cells constituting part of the cellular EV secretome. The bioactive cargo of EVs can be shuffled between cells and consists of lipids, metabolites, proteins, and nucleic acids, including multiple RNA species from non-coding RNAs to messenger RNAs (mRNAs). In this study, we hypothesized that the mRNA cargo of EVs could differ based on the EV cellular origin and subpopulation analyzed. METHODS: We isolated MVs and EXOs from PC-3 and LNCaP prostate cancer cells by differential centrifugation and compared them to EVs derived from the benign PNT2 prostate cells. The relative mRNA levels of 84 prostate cancer-related genes were investigated and validated using quantitative reverse transcription PCR arrays. RESULTS: Based on the mRNA abundance, MVs rather than EXOs were enriched in the analyzed transcripts, providing a snapshot of the tumor transcriptome. LNCaP MVs specifically contained significantly increased mRNA levels of NK3 Homeobox 1 (NKX3-1), transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2), and tumor protein 53 (TP53) genes, whereas PC-3 MVs carried increased mRNA levels of several genes including, caveolin-2 (CAV2), glutathione S-transferase pi 1 (GSTP1), pescadillo ribosomal biogenesis factor 1 (PES1), calmodulin regulated spectrin associated protein 1 (CAMSAP1), zinc-finger protein 185 (ZNF185), and others compared to PNT2 MVs. Additionally, ETS variant 1 (ETV1) and fatty acid synthase (FASN) mRNAs identified in LNCaP- and PC-3- derived MVs highly correlated with prostate cancer progression. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides new understandings of the variability of the mRNA cargo of MVs and EXOs from different cell lines despite same cancer origin, which is essential to better understand the the proportion of the cell transcriptome that can be detected within EVs and to evaluate their role in disease diagnosis.

Detailed Analysis of Protein Topology of Extracellular Vesicles-Evidence of Unconventional Membrane Protein Orientation.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are important mediators of intercellular communication that change the recipient cell by shuttling lipids, RNA, or protein cargo between cells. Here, we investigate the topology of the protein cargo found in EVs, as this topology can fundamentally influence the biological effects of EVs. A multiple proteomics approach, combining proteinase treatment and biotin tagging, shows that many proteins of cytosolic origin are localized on the surface of EVs. A detailed analysis of the EV proteome at the peptide level revealed that a number of EV membrane proteins are present in a topologically reversed orientation compared to what is annotated. Two examples of such proteins, SCAMP3 and STX4, were confirmed to have a reversed topology. This reversed typology was determined using flow cytometry and fluorescent microscopy with antibodies directed toward their cytoplasmic epitopes. These results describe a novel workflow to define the EV proteome and the orientation of each protein, including membrane protein topology. These data are fundamentally important to understanding the EV proteome and required to fully explain EV biogenesis as well as biological function in recipient cells.

RNAi delivery by exosome-mimetic nanovesicles - Implications for targeting c-Myc in cancer.

To develop RNA-based therapeutics, it is crucial to create delivery vectors that transport the RNA molecule into the cell cytoplasm. Naturally released exosomes vesicles (also called "Extracellular Vesicles") have been proposed as possible RNAi carriers, but their yield is relatively small in any cell culture system. We have previously generated exosome-mimetic nanovesicles (NV) by serial extrusions of cells through nano-sized filters, which results in 100-times higher yield of extracellular vesicles. We here test 1) whether NV can be loaded with siRNA exogenously and endogenously, 2) whether the siRNA-loaded NV are taken up by recipient cells, and 3) whether the siRNA can induce functional knock-down responses in recipient cells. A siRNA against GFP was first loaded into NV by electroporation, or a c-Myc shRNA was expressed inside of the cells. The NV were efficiently loaded with siRNA with both techniques, were taken up by recipient cells, which resulted in attenuation of target gene expression. In conclusion, our study suggests that exosome-mimetic nanovesicles can be a platform for RNAi delivery to cell cytoplasm.

Noninvasive imaging of radiolabeled exosome-mimetic nanovesicle using (99m)Tc-HMPAO.

Exosomes known as nano-sized extracellular vesicles attracted recent interests due to their potential usefulness in drug delivery. Amid remarkable advances in biomedical applications of exosomes, it is crucial to understand in vivo distribution and behavior of exosomes. Here, we developed a simple method for radiolabeling of macrophage-derived exosome-mimetic nanovesicles (ENVs) with (99m)Tc-HMPAO under physiologic conditions and monitored in vivo distribution of (99m)Tc-HMPAO-ENVs using SPECT/CT in living mice. ENVs were produced from the mouse RAW264.7 macrophage cell line and labeled with (99m)Tc-HMPAO for 1 hr incubation, followed by removal of free (99m)Tc-HMPAO. SPECT/CT images were serially acquired after intravenous injection to BALB/c mouse. When ENVs were labeled with (99m)Tc-HMPAO, the radiochemical purity of (99m)Tc-HMPAO-ENVs was higher than 90% and the expression of exosome specific protein (CD63) did not change in (99m)Tc-HMPAO-ENVs. (99m)Tc-HMPAO-ENVs showed high serum stability (90%) which was similar to that in phosphate buffered saline until 5 hr. SPECT/CT images of the mice injected with (99m)Tc-HMPAO-ENVs exhibited higher uptake in liver and no uptake in brain, whereas mice injected with (99m)Tc-HMPAO showed high brain uptake until 5 hr. Our noninvasive imaging of radiolabeled-ENVs promises better understanding of the in vivo behavior of exosomes for upcoming biomedical application.