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Special Issue "Extracellular Vesicles and Nanoparticles"

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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: closed (31 August 2023) | Viewed by 3964

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Prof. Dr. Djuro Josic

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Faculty of Medicine, University Juraj Dobrila of Pula, 52100 Pula, Croatia
Interests: proteomics; foodborne pathogens; mechanisms of bacterial resistance; extracellular vesicles
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

After their discovery, extracellular vesicles (EVs – also called “microparticles”) end of 1960s as a product of platelets, they were considered to be degradation products of limited importance. Evs first came in the focus of research about forty years later, and in the year 2012 the first volume in prestigious Journal was issued. This Special Issue of IJMS is to give an additional view in this field. These submicron size vesicles are shed not only from various cell types of multicellular organisms, but also by unicellular ones like Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. As the product of most eucariotic cells, exosomes are the the most frequently investigated EVs, and they have multiple function, like cell-cell communication, cellular signaling, blood coagulation and homeostasis. However, they seem to be also involved in many pathological processes like tumor growth and invasion, hypertension and vascular injury. EVs that are shed by bacteria and other unicellular organisms were neglected for longer time, and the existence of EVs shed by Gram positive bacteria was even questioned. Now, EVs that are shed by pathogens like bacteria are in the focus of many investigations, especially regarding their role in human diseases.

In this Special Issue, the manuscripts dealing with the new aspects of EVs investigations, especially regarding their isolation and analytics for identification of new disease biomarkers, the role of exosomes and EVs in signal transduction in targeted therapy of several diseases (especially cancer) and in the interaction between the pathogen and host organism. The next point of interest are the microvesicles shed by bacteria and other pathogens and their role in infection and resistance, carrying of toxins and biofilm formation.

Prof. Dr. Djuro Josic
Guest Editor

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Keywords

extracellular vesicles
exosomes
bacterial toxins
viruses
biomarkers
signal transduction
targeted therapy
exososmes in cancer
exosomes and extracellular vesicles host-pathogen interaction
extracellular vesicles of gram positive bacteria
extracellular vesicles of gram negative bacteria
extracellular vesicles and biofilm formation

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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Open AccessArticle

High Recovery Chromatographic Purification of mRNA at Room Temperature and Neutral pH

and

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(18), 14267; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241814267 - 19 Sep 2023

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Abstract

Messenger RNA (mRNA) is becoming an increasingly important therapeutic modality due to its potential for fast development and platform production. New emerging RNA modalities, such as circular RNA, drive the need for the development of non-affinity purification approaches. Recently, the highly efficient chromatographic purification of mRNA was demonstrated with multimodal monolithic chromatography media (CIM^® PrimaS), where efficient mRNA elution was achieved with an ascending pH gradient approach at pH 10.5. Here, we report that a newly developed chromatographic material enables the elution of mRNA at neutral pH and room temperature. This material demonstrates weak anion-exchanging properties and an isoelectric point of 5.3. It enables the baseline separation of mRNA (at least up to 10,000 nucleotides (nt) in size) from parental plasmid DNA (regardless of isoform composition) with both a NaCl gradient and ascending pH gradient approach, while mRNA elution is achieved in a pH range of 5–7. In addition, the basic structure of the novel material is a chromatographic monolith, enabling convection-assisted mass transfer of large RNA molecules to and from the active surface. This facilitates the elution of mRNA in 3–7 column volumes with more than 80% elution recovery and uncompromised integrity. This is demonstrated by the purification of a model mRNA (size 995 nt) from an in vitro transcription reaction mixture. The purified mRNA is stable for at least 34 days, stored in purified H₂O at room temperature. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Extracellular Vesicles and Nanoparticles)

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Open AccessArticle

Characterization and Proteomic Analysis of Plasma EVs Recovered from Healthy and Diseased Dogs with Canine Leishmaniosis

Carmen Fernandez-Becerra

Nuno Santarém

and

Anabela Cordeiro-da-Silva

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(6), 5490; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24065490 - 13 Mar 2023

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Abstract

Dogs are highly valued companions and work animals that are susceptible to many life-threatening conditions such as canine leishmaniosis (CanL). Plasma-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs), exploited extensively in biomarker discovery, constitute a mostly untapped resource in veterinary sciences. Thus, the definition of proteins associated with plasma EVs recovered from healthy and diseased dogs with a relevant pathogen would be important for biomarker development. For this, we recovered, using size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), EVs from 19 healthy and 20 CanL dogs’ plasma and performed proteomic analysis by LC-MS/MS to define their core proteomic composition and search for CanL-associated alterations. EVs-specific markers were identified in all preparations and also non-EVs proteins. Some EVs markers such as CD82 were specific to the healthy animals, while others, such as the Integrin beta 3 were identified in most samples. The EVs-enriched preparations allowed the identification of 529 canine proteins that were identified in both groups, while 465 and 154 were only identified in healthy or CanL samples, respectively. A GO enrichment analysis revealed few CanL-specific terms. Leishmania spp. protein identifications were also found, although with only one unique peptide. Ultimately, CanL-associated proteins of interest were identified and a core proteome was revealed that will be available for intra- and inter-species comparisons. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Extracellular Vesicles and Nanoparticles)

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Open AccessArticle

Identification of Novel Senescent Markers in Small Extracellular Vesicles

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Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(3), 2421; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24032421 - 26 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1718

Abstract

Senescent cells exhibit several typical features, including the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), promoting the secretion of various inflammatory proteins and small extracellular vesicles (EVs). SASP factors cause chronic inflammation, leading to age-related diseases. Recently, therapeutic strategies targeting senescent cells, known as senolytics, have gained attention; however, noninvasive methods to detect senescent cells in living organisms have not been established. Therefore, the goal of this study was to identify novel senescent markers using small EVs (sEVs). sEVs were isolated from young and senescent fibroblasts using three different methods, including size-exclusion chromatography, affinity column for phosphatidylserine, and immunoprecipitation using antibodies against tetraspanin proteins, followed by mass spectrometry. Principal component analysis revealed that the protein composition of sEVs released from senescent cells was significantly different from that of young cells. Importantly, we identified ATP6V0D1 and RTN4 as novel markers that are frequently upregulated in sEVs from senescent and progeria cells derived from patients with Werner syndrome. Furthermore, these two proteins were significantly enriched in sEVs from the serum of aged mice. This study supports the potential use of senescent markers from sEVs to detect the presence of senescent cells in vivo. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Extracellular Vesicles and Nanoparticles)

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Review

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Open AccessReview

Nanoparticles in Medicine: Current Status in Cancer Treatment

Krešimir Pavelić

Sandra Kraljević Pavelić

and

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(16), 12827; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241612827 - 15 Aug 2023

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Abstract

Cancer is still a leading cause of deaths worldwide, especially due to those cases diagnosed at late stages with metastases that are still considered untreatable and are managed in such a way that a lengthy chronic state is achieved. Nanotechnology has been acknowledged as one possible solution to improve existing cancer treatments, but also as an innovative approach to developing new therapeutic solutions that will lower systemic toxicity and increase targeted action on tumors and metastatic tumor cells. In particular, the nanoparticles studied in the context of cancer treatment include organic and inorganic particles whose role may often be expanded into diagnostic applications. Some of the best studied nanoparticles include metallic gold and silver nanoparticles, quantum dots, polymeric nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes and graphene, with diverse mechanisms of action such as, for example, the increased induction of reactive oxygen species, increased cellular uptake and functionalization properties for improved targeted delivery. Recently, novel nanoparticles for improved cancer cell targeting also include nanobubbles, which have already demonstrated increased localization of anticancer molecules in tumor tissues. In this review, we will accordingly present and discuss state-of-the-art nanoparticles and nano-formulations for cancer treatment and limitations for their application in a clinical setting. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Extracellular Vesicles and Nanoparticles)

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