Placental Exosomes Viewed From An ‘Omics’ Perspective: Implications for Gestational Diabetes Biomarkers Identification

Abstract

Exosomes are defined as extracellular vesicles that are released from cells upon fusion of an intermediate endocytic compartment – the multivesicular body – with the plasma membrane. Recently, placenta-derived exosomes have gained special attention, since they play a crucial role in the communication between the mother and fetus. It is known that the concentration of placenta-derived exosomes in the maternal bloodstream is higher in patients with preeclampsia or gestational diabetes mellitus. However, their composition in terms of the content of proteins, nucleic acids or lipids is uncertain. In this work, we reviewed the recent advances in placental exosomes characterization through omics-based methods, and their potential to predict gestational diabetes mellitus.

Keywords:

• biomarkers
• exosomes
• extracellular vesicles
• gestational diabetes mellitus
• lipidomics
• miRNAs
• placenta
• pregnancy
• proteomic
• transcriptomics

Author contributions

ASH Van Oostdam wrote the document; JA López contributed with miRNAs section; M Salgado-Bustamante contributed with transcriptomic of placental exosomes and the revision of the document. DAH Van Oostdam contributed with the medical aspects of GDM and the English edition. Y López Hernández designed the work and wrote the document.

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Lic. Carla Ferret for helping to create the images and for language editing.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This study has received financial support for the creation of the work from FOSSSIS-CONACyT 2017 (grant no. 290239) and National Council of Science and Technology (CONACyT). 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.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This study has received financial support for the creation of the work from FOSSSIS-CONACyT 2017 (grant no. 290239) and National Council of Science and Technology (CONACyT). 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.