Microvesicles as promising biological tools for diagnosis and therapy

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Shed by most cells, in response to a myriad of stimuli, extracellular vesicles (EVs) carry proteins, lipids, and various nucleic acids. EVs encompass diverse subpopulations differing for biogenesis and content. Among these, microvesicles (MVs) derived from plasma membrane, are key regulators of physiopathological cellular processes including cancer, inflammation and infection. This review is unique in that it focuses specifically on the MVs as a mediator of information transfer. In fact, few proteomic studies have rigorously distinguished MVs from exosomes.

Areas covered: Aim of this review is to discuss the proteomic analyses of the MVs. Many studies have examined mixed populations containing both exosomes and MVs. We discuss MVs’ role in cell-specific interactions. We also show their emerging roles in therapy and diagnosis.

Expert commentary: We see MVs as therapeutic tools for potential use in precision medicine. They may also have potential for allowing the identification of new biomarkers. MVs represent an invaluable tool for studying the cell of origin, which they closely represent, but it is critical to build a repository with data from MVs to deepen our understanding of their molecular repertoire and biological functions.

KEYWORDS:

• Biomarkers
• cancer
• extracellular vesicles
• mass spectrometry
• microvesicles
• precision medicine

Declaration of interest

The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was supported by Cinque per mille e Ricerca Corrente, Ministero della Salute, to Istituto Giannina Gaslini; Compagnia di San Paolo: 2016.AAI1017.U1260/2015.0408/1039 (M. Bruschi; ‘Esosomi Circolanti quali Sensori dello stato Metabolico del nato Pre-Termine: Ipotesi di Validazione di una supplementazione dietetica nella Gestante’; and funds from Renal Child Foundation.