Serum-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) impact on vascular remodeling and prevent muscle damage in acute hind limb ischemia

Sci Rep. 2017 Aug 15;7(1):8180. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-08250-0.

Abstract

Serum is an abundant and accessible source of circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs). Serum-EV (sEV) pro-angiogenic capability and mechanisms are herein analyzed using an in vitro assay which predicts sEV angiogenic potential in vivo. Effective sEVs (e-sEVs) also improved vascular remodeling and prevented muscle damage in a mouse model of acute hind limb ischemia. e-sEV angiogenic proteomic and transcriptomic analyses show a positive correlation with matrix-metalloproteinase activation and extracellular matrix organization, cytokine and chemokine signaling pathways, Insulin-like Growth Factor and platelet pathways, and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor signaling. A discrete gene signature, which highlights differences in e-sEV and ineffective-EV biological activity, was identified using gene ontology (GO) functional analysis. An enrichment of genes associated with the Transforming Growth Factor beta 1 (TGFβ1) signaling cascade is associated with e-sEV administration but not with ineffective-EVs. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis on the inhibitor of DNA binding I (ID1) promoter region, and the knock-down of small mother against decapentaplegic (SMAD)1-5 proteins confirmed GO functional analyses. This study demonstrates sEV pro-angiogenic activity, validates a simple, sEV pro-angiogenic assay which predicts their biological activity in vivo, and identifies the TGFβ1 cascade as a relevant mediator. We propose serum as a readily available source of EVs for therapeutic purposes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biomarkers
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Endothelial Cells / metabolism
  • Extracellular Vesicles / metabolism*
  • Extracellular Vesicles / ultrastructure
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Hindlimb
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Ischemia / blood*
  • Ischemia / pathology*
  • Mice
  • Muscle, Skeletal / blood supply
  • Muscle, Skeletal / metabolism*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / pathology*
  • Neovascularization, Physiologic
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Proteomics / methods
  • Reperfusion Injury / metabolism
  • Reperfusion Injury / pathology
  • Transcriptome
  • Vascular Remodeling*

Substances

  • Biomarkers