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Special Issue "New Challenges and Opportunities: Extracellular Vesicles in Biological and Biochemical Processes"

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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Biochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2023 | Viewed by 6786

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ilaria Giusti

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Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy
Interests: extracellular vesicles; tumor microenvironment; angiogenesis; platelet derivatives; regenerative medicine
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Dr. Celeste Caruso Bavisotto

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Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostic (BiND), Human Anatomy Section, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
Interests: extracellular vesicles; exosomes; miRNA; liquid biopsy; cancerogenesis; anatomy; molecular chaperones; heat shock proteins; extracellular chaperones
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cell-to-cell communication is mediated by the release of a plethora of soluble molecules of varying nature and functions. However, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been recognized as essential mediators of this intercellular crosstalk for many years now, being involved in all key biological processes in humans, such as cell differentiation, tissue homeostasis, and organ remodeling.

EVs are membrane-enclosed structures, containing a complex cargo composed of proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, which can be fully functional once transferred to target cells, and when released by normal and tumor cells, they act as critical modulators in both physiological and pathological conditions.

This Special Issue, “New Challenges and Opportunities: Extracellular Vesicles in Biological and Biochemical Processes”, will comprise a selection of research papers and reviews, focusing on the novel biochemical and molecular aspects of biological processes mediated by EVs. Contributions are welcome on EVs molecular characterization and cell signaling pathways involved in EVs-mediated physiological and pathological processes, as well as their impact on possible clinical implications.

Dr. Ilaria Giusti
Dr. Celeste Caruso Bavisotto
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

extracellular vesicles
exosomes
intercellular crosstalk
liquid biopsy
carcinogenesis
cell differentiation
tissue homeostasis
organ remodeling
biomedicine
advanced diagnostics

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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Open AccessArticle

Secretory Proteomic Responses of Endometrial Epithelial Cells to Trophoblast-Derived Extracellular Vesicles

Subhashini Muhandiram

and

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(15), 11924; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241511924 - 25 Jul 2023

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Abstract

Synchronized crosstalk between the embryo and endometrium during the periconception period is integral to pregnancy establishment. Increasing evidence suggests that the exchange of extracellular vesicles (EVs) of both embryonic and endometrial origin is a critical component of embryo–maternal communication during peri-implantation. Here, we investigated whether embryonic signals in the form of EVs can modulate the endometrial epithelial cell secretome. Receptive endometrial analog RL95-2 cells were supplemented with trophoblast analog JAr cell-derived EVs, and the secretory protein changes occurring in the RL95-2 cells were analyzed using mass spectrometry. EVs of non-trophoblastic origin (HEK 293 cells) were used as the control EV source to supplement endometrial cells. Trophoblast cell-derived EVs enriched endometrial epithelial cell secretions with proteins that support embryo development, attachment, or implantation, whereas control EVs were unable to induce the same effect. The present study suggests that embryonic signals in the form of EVs may prime receptive endometrial epithelial cells to enrich their secretory proteome with critical proteomic molecules with functional importance for periconception milieu formation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges and Opportunities: Extracellular Vesicles in Biological and Biochemical Processes)

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Open AccessArticle

Molecular Markers in Maternal Blood Exosomes Allow Early Detection of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

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Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(1), 135; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24010135 - 21 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1870

Abstract

Prenatal alcohol exposure can cause developmental abnormalities (fetal alcohol spectrum disorders; FASD), including small eyes, face and brain, and neurobehavioral deficits. These cannot be detected early in pregnancy with available imaging techniques. Early diagnosis could facilitate development of therapeutic interventions. Banked human fetal brains and eyes at 9–22 weeks’ gestation were paired with maternal blood samples, analyzed for morphometry, protein, and RNA expression, and apoptotic signaling. Alcohol (EtOH)-exposed (maternal self-report) fetuses were compared with unexposed controls matched for fetal age, sex, and maternal race. Fetal brain-derived exosomes (FB-E) were isolated from maternal blood and analyzed for protein, RNA, and apoptotic markers. EtOH use by mothers, assessed by self-report, was associated with reduced fetal eye diameter, brain size, and markers of synaptogenesis. Brain caspase-3 activity was increased. The reduction in eye and brain sizes were highly correlated with amount of EtOH intake and caspase-3 activity. Levels of several biomarkers in FB-E, most strikingly myelin basic protein (MBP; r > 0.9), correlated highly with morphological abnormalities. Reduction in FB-E MBP levels was highly correlated with EtOH exposure (p < 1.0 × 10⁻¹⁰). Although the morphological features of FAS appear long before they can be detected by live imaging, FB-E in the mother’s blood may contain markers, particularly MBP, that predict FASD. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges and Opportunities: Extracellular Vesicles in Biological and Biochemical Processes)

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Review

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Open AccessReview

Exosome–Autophagy Crosstalk in Enveloped Virus Infection

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Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(13), 10618; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241310618 - 25 Jun 2023

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Abstract

Exosomes, which are extracellular vesicles (EVs) predominantly present in bodily fluids, participate in various physiological processes. Autophagy, an intracellular degradation mechanism, eliminates proteins and damaged organelles by forming double-membrane autophagosomes. These autophagosomes subsequently merge with lysosomes for target degradation. The interaction between autophagy and endosomal/exosomal pathways can occur at different stages, exerting significant influences on normal physiology and human diseases. The interplay between exosomes and the autophagy pathway is intricate. Exosomes exhibit a cytoprotective role by inducing intracellular autophagy, while autophagy modulates the biogenesis and degradation of exosomes. Research indicates that exosomes and autophagy contribute to the infection process of numerous enveloped viruses. Enveloped viruses, comprising viral nucleic acid, proteins, or virions, can be encapsulated within exosomes and transferred between cells via exosomal transport. Consequently, exosomes play a crucial role in the infection of certain viral diseases. This review presents recent findings on the interplay between exosomes and autophagy, as well as their implications in the infection of enveloped viruses, thereby offering valuable insights into the pathogenesis and vaccine research of enveloped virus infection. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges and Opportunities: Extracellular Vesicles in Biological and Biochemical Processes)

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Open AccessReview

Metastatic Dissemination: Role of Tumor-Derived Extracellular Vesicles and Their Use as Clinical Biomarkers

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Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(11), 9590; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24119590 - 31 May 2023

Viewed by 578

Abstract

Cancer is a major cause of mortality in humans; often, rather than the primary tumor, it is the presence of metastases that are the cause of death. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small structures released by both normal and cancer cells; regarding the latter, they have been demonstrated to modulate almost all cancer-related processes, such as invasion, angiogenesis induction, drug resistance, and immune evasion. In the last years, it has become clear how EVs are widely involved in metastatic dissemination as well as in pre-metastatic niche (PMN) formation. Indeed, in order to achieve a successful metastatic process, i.e., penetration by cancer cells into distant tissues, the shaping of a favorable environment into those distant tissue, i.e., PMN formation, is mandatory. This process consists of an alteration that takes place in a distant organ and paves the way for the engraftment and growth of circulating tumor cells derived from the tumor primary site. This review focuses on the role of EVs in pre-metastatic niche formation and metastatic dissemination, also reporting the last studies suggesting the EVs role as biomarkers of metastatic diseases, possibly in a liquid biopsy approach. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges and Opportunities: Extracellular Vesicles in Biological and Biochemical Processes)

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Open AccessReview

Molecular Pathways Implicated in Radioresistance of Glioblastoma Multiforme: What Is the Role of Extracellular Vesicles?

Pavel Burko

Giuseppa D’Amico

Ilia Miltykh

Federica Scalia

Everly Conway de Macario

Alberto J. L. Macario

Giuseppe Giglia

Francesco Cappello

and

Celeste Caruso Bavisotto

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(5), 4883; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24054883 - 02 Mar 2023

Viewed by 1698

Abstract

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a primary brain tumor that is very aggressive, resistant to treatment, and characterized by a high degree of anaplasia and proliferation. Routine treatment includes ablative surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. However, GMB rapidly relapses and develops radioresistance. Here, we briefly review the mechanisms underpinning radioresistance and discuss research to stop it and install anti-tumor defenses. Factors that participate in radioresistance are varied and include stem cells, tumor heterogeneity, tumor microenvironment, hypoxia, metabolic reprogramming, the chaperone system, non-coding RNAs, DNA repair, and extracellular vesicles (EVs). We direct our attention toward EVs because they are emerging as promising candidates as diagnostic and prognostication tools and as the basis for developing nanodevices for delivering anti-cancer agents directly into the tumor mass. EVs are relatively easy to obtain and manipulate to endow them with the desired anti-cancer properties and to administer them using minimally invasive procedures. Thus, isolating EVs from a GBM patient, supplying them with the necessary anti-cancer agent and the capability of recognizing a specified tissue-cell target, and reinjecting them into the original donor appears, at this time, as a reachable objective of personalized medicine. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges and Opportunities: Extracellular Vesicles in Biological and Biochemical Processes)

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Special Issue "New Challenges and Opportunities: Extracellular Vesicles in Biological and Biochemical Processes"

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