Abstract
ObjectiveTo demonstrate the feasibility of studying exosomes directly from peritoneal fluid, we isolated exosomes from endometriosis patient samples and from controls, and characterized their cargo.DesignCase-control experimental study.SettingAcademic clinical center.Patient (s)Women with and without endometriosis who underwent laparoscopic surgery (n = 28 in total).Intervention (s)None.Main Outcome Measure (s)Concentration of exosomes within peritoneal fluid and protein content of the isolated exosomes.Result (s)Peritoneal fluid samples were pooled according to the cycle phase and disease stage to form six experimental groups, from which the exosomes were isolated. Exosomes were successfully isolated from peritoneal fluid in all the study groups. The concentration varied with cycle phase and disease stage. Proteomic analysis showed specific proteins in the exosomes derived from endometriosis patients that were absent in the controls. Five proteins were found exclusively in the endometriosis groups: PRDX1, H2A type 2-C, ANXA2, ITIH4, and the tubulin α-chain.Conclusion (s)Exosomes are present in peritoneal fluid. The characterization of endometriosis-specific exosomes opens up new avenues for the diagnosis and investigation of endometriosis.
Highlights
Exosome concentrations in peritoneal fluid (PF) vary depending on disease stage and cycle phase The nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) profiles of the pooled PF samples showed peaks at around 150 nm, consistent with the presence of exosomes in all sample groups
The stage I/II endometriosis group showed a higher concentration of exosomes in PF compared with the control group in both cycle phases
The successful isolation of exosomes directly from PF and the analysis presented here suggest proteins found in exosomes from endometriosis patients as biomarkers of the disease
Summary
To demonstrate the feasibility of studying exosomes directly from peritoneal fluid, we isolated exosomes from endometriosis patient samples and from controls, and characterized their cargo. Exosomes have gained considerable interest as novel agents of intercellular communication in health and disease [15]: Exosomes are cell-derived lipid-bound nanovesicles secreted by virtually every cell, so they are present in almost all biological fluids [16]. They are formed within multivesicular endosomes (MVE) and released by the fusion of the MVE with the plasma membrane of the cell [16]. We directly detect exosomes in the PF of women and begin to characterize the PF-derived exosomes with regards to their protein cargo
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