Plasmatic Extracellular Vesicles Research Articles

5 Characterization of plasmatic extracellular vesicles during pregnancy in beef cattle

5 Characterization of plasmatic extracellular vesicles during pregnancy in beef cattle

Proteomic Insights Into Gingival Crevicular Extracellular Vesicles in Periodontitis and Gestational Diabetes: An Exploratory Study.

To characterize the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and plasma extracellular vesicles (EVs) and explore their proteomic cargo in healthy pregnant women compared to those with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and periodontitis. One-hundred and four pregnant women were recruited at 24-30 gestation weeks. GDM was diagnosed by an oral glucose tolerance test. GCF and plasma samples were obtained to isolate EVs and characterized by nanoparticle tracking, immunoassays, electron microscopy and mass spectrometry. Of the recruits,17.3% women were healthy, 50% had periodontitis and 32.7% had both GDM and periodontitis. Probing depth, clinical attachment loss and bleeding on probing were more severe in GDM and periodontitis pregnancies (p < 0.0001). Additionally, this group showed an increase concentration of total, small and large GCF-EVs (p = 0.0015, p = 0.0011 and p = 0.0008, respectively), with decreased expression of CD9, CD81 and CD81/CD63 ratio (p = 0.0461, p = 0.0164 and p = 0.0005, respectively). No differences were observed in plasmatic EVs concentration or markers expression. Proteomic analysis of GCF-EVs showed peptides of both host and bacterial origin. Gene ontology analysis revealed that proteins of GCF-EVs participate in immune inflammatory responses, glucose metabolism and insulin response mechanisms. GCF-EVs were increased in both GDM and periodontitis, and their proteomic cargo suggest their involvement in immune inflammatory response, glucose metabolism and insulin pathways during pregnancy.

Shotgun Proteomics Links Proteoglycan-4+ Extracellular Vesicles to Cognitive Protection in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder lacking reliable biomarkers for early diagnosis and disease progression monitoring. This study aimed to identify the novel biomarkers in plasmatic extracellular vesicles (EVs) isolated from ALS patients and healthy controls (HCs). A total of 61 ALS patients and 30 age-matched HCs were enrolled in the study and the protein content of circulating EVs was analyzed by shotgun proteomics. The study was divided into a discovery phase (involving 12 ALS and 12 HC patients) and a validation one (involving 49 ALS and 20 HC patients). In the discovery phase, more than 300 proteins were identified, with 32 proteins showing differential regulation in ALS patients compared to HCs. In the validation phase, over 400 proteins were identified, with 20 demonstrating differential regulation in ALS patients compared to HCs. Notably, seven proteins were found to be common to both phases, all of which were significantly upregulated in EVs from ALS patients. Most of them have previously been linked to ALS since they have been detected in the serum or cerebrospinal fluid of ALS patients. Among them, proteoglycan (PRG)-4, also known as lubricin, was of particular interest since it was significantly increased in ALS patients with normal cognitive and motor functions. This study highlights the significance of EVs as a promising avenue for biomarker discovery in ALS. Moreover, it sheds light on the unexpected role of PRG-4 in relation to cognitive status in ALS patients.

Profiling plasma alterations of extracellular vesicles in patients with acutely decompensated cirrhosis and bacterial infection.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) modulate inflammation, coagulation and vascular homeostasis in decompensated cirrhosis. To characterize the profile of plasmatic EVs in patients with decompensated cirrhosis and bacterial infections and evaluate the association between EVs and the development of hemostatic complications. We measured the levels of EVs using high-sensitivity flow cytometry and phospholipid-dependent clotting time (PPL) in a prospective cohort of hospitalized patients with acutely decompensated cirrhosis with versus without bacterial infections. A separate cohort of patients with bacterial infections without cirrhosis was also enrolled. We measured endothelium-, tissue factor (TF)-bearing, platelet- and leukocyte-derived EVs. In patients with infections, EVs were reassessed upon resolution of infection. Bleeding and thrombotic complications were recorded during 1-year follow-up. Eighty patients with decompensated cirrhosis were recruited (40 each with and without bacterial infections). Electron microscopy confirmed the presence of plasma EVs. Despite no difference in total EVs and PPL, patients with cirrhosis and infection had significantly higher TF+ EVs, P-Selectin+ EVs (activated platelet-derived), CD14+ EVs (monocyte/macrophages derived) and CD14+ TF+ EVs versus those with cirrhosis without infection. Upon infection resolution, levels of these EVs returned to those without infection. Patients with infections showed a significant association between reduced P-Selectin+ EVs and bleeding complications (HR 8.0 [95%CI 1.3-48.1]), whereas high levels of leukocyte-derived EVs (CD45+) and CD14+ EVs were significantly associated with thrombotic complications (HR 16.4 [95%CI 1.7-160] and 10.9 [95%CI 1.13-106], respectively). Results were confirmed in a validation cohort. Bacterial infections are associated with particular alterations of plasma EVs profile in decompensated cirrhosis. Bacterial infections trigger the release of EVs originating from various cell types, which may tip the precarious hemostatic balance of patients with acutely decompensated cirrhosis towards hyper- or hypocoagulability.

Flow cytometry for extracellular vesicle characterization in COVID-19 and post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19 diseases, can impact different tissues and induce significant cellular alterations. The production of extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are physiologically involved in cell communication, is also altered during COVID-19, along with the dysfunction of cytoplasmic organelles. Since circulating EVs reflect the state of their cells of origin, they represent valuable tools for monitoring pathological conditions. Despite challenges in detecting EVs due to their size and specific cellular compartment origin using different methodologies, flow cytometry has proven to be an effective method for assessing the role of EVs in COVID-19. This review summarizes the involvement of plasmatic EVs in COVID-19 patients and individuals with Long COVID (LC) affected by post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), highlighting their dual role in exerting both pro- and antiviral effects. We also emphasize how flow cytometry, with its multiparametric approach, can be employed to characterize circulating EVs, particularly in infectious diseases such as COVID-19, and suggest their potential role in chronic impairments during post-infection.

Abstract P3-11-09: Extracellular vesicle-based biomarker assay for the monitoring of the efficacy of frontline endocrine therapy + CDK4-6 inhibitors in metastatic breast cancer

Abstract CONTEXT: Endocrine therapy combined with CDK4/6 inhibitor is the standard frontline treatment for the vast majority of HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients. Despite an overall survival benefit, patients eventually progress and mechanisms of resistance to this combination are not well identified. Non-invasive monitoring of the efficacy of treatment could help into tailoring therapeutic regimen. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a group of heterogeneous nanosized bioparticles (30-1000nm), released by almost all cell types - including tumor, platelets, and immune cells – carrying informative biological material emanating from the mother cell and circulating in the blood stream. In this project, we ambition to assess whether the vesiclemia, i.e. plasmatic extracellular vesicle concentration can be used as a clinic-biological parameter to assist in the monitoring of patients. METHODS: EPICURE is an ongoing pilot prospective cohort study of heterogeneous and massive data integration, i.e. multi-omics approaches in MBC patients. The present study focused on patients with HR+/HER2- MBC receiving frontline endocrine therapy+iCDK4/6. Plasma samples were drawn every 3 months during the treatment until progression. The workflow for the enrichment of circulating EVs was developed from frozen plasma. A semi-automatized isolation procedure using size exclusion chromatography combined with the newly developed interference light microscopy apparatus Videodrop allowed to routinely separate plasmatic EVs and quantify vesiclemia in a fast and reliable manner for a large number of samples (longitudinal follow-up of MBC patients). RESULTS: 26 patients were included and monitored for vesiclemia. Median age was 58.5y (±13.7). Metastatic disease sites were distributed as follows: bone metastases (21; 84%), liver (21; 84%), thoracic (10; 40%), node (2; 8%), brain (1; 4%), others (2; 8%). Endocrine therapy included aromatase inhibitors (20; 77%), fulvestrant (6; 29%), GnRH agonists (5; 19%) and CDK4/6 inhibitors palbocilib (15; 57%), abemaciclib (8; 31%) and ribociclib (3; 11%). With a median follow-up time of 22.1 months (95%CI 21.2 - not reached), median progression free survival was 21.8 months (95%CI 18.1 - not reached). Median time on treatment was 19.4 months (IQR 11.6 - 22.1). Objective response rate was confirmed in 12 patients (6 with complete response). Out of the 26 patients, 12 stopped the frontline treatment due to disease progression. 135 longitudinal follow-up samples were analyzed for EVs. All patients who progressed rapidly after treatment initiation (i.e median PFS&amp;lt; 6 months) had an increased vesiclemia at the months 2 and 6 after inclusion. Conversely, patients who had a median PFS &amp;gt;18m had a stable vesiclemia during this period. CONCLUSION This study aims to use circulating EVs as a therapeutic companion to anticipate treatment resistance and tumor progression in MBC patients. Our preliminary data suggest that the vesiclemia could be used as a predictive tool to anticipate treatment failure, and thus might be used to tailor treatments in time. Citation Format: Mathilde Richard, Jean Sebastien FRENEL, Laurent Mathiot, Mario Campone, Mathilde Colombie, Marie Robert, Anne Patsouris, Frederic Bigot, Julie Gavard, Gwennan André-Grégoire, Laetitia Guevel. Extracellular vesicle-based biomarker assay for the monitoring of the efficacy of frontline endocrine therapy + CDK4-6 inhibitors in metastatic breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2022 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(5 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-11-09.

Expression of Epithelial and Mesenchymal Markers in Plasmatic Extracellular Vesicles as a Diagnostic Tool for Neoplastic Processes.

Tumor-derived extracellular vesicles (TD-EVs) have active roles as cancer hallmark enablers. EVs RNA of epithelial and stromal cells carry information that facilitates the communication processes that contribute to oncological progression, so the objective of this work was to validate by RT-PCR the presence of epithelial (KRT19; CEA) and stromal (COL1A2; COL11A1) markers in RNA of plasmatic EVs in healthy and diverse-malignancy patients for the development of a non-invasive cancer diagnosis system using liquid biopsy. Ten asymptomatic controls and 20 cancer patients were included in the study, and results showed that the isolated plasmatic EVs by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) andBiomedical Research Institute A Coruña nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) contained most exosome structures with also a considerable percentage of microvesicles. No differences were found in concentration and size distribution between the two cohorts of patients, but significant gene expression in epithelial and mesenchymal markers between healthy donors and patients with active oncological disease was shown. Results of quantitative RT-PCR are solid and reliable for KRT19, COL1A2, and COL11A1, so the analysis of RNA extracted from TD-EVs could be a correct approach to develop a diagnostic tool in oncological processes.

Extracellular vesicles and their miRNA contents counterbalance the pro-inflammatory effect of air pollution during physiological pregnancy: A focus on Syncytin-1 positive vesicles.

The impact of exposure to respirable particulate matter (PM) during pregnancy is a growing concern, as several studies have associated increased risks of adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes, and impaired intrauterine growth with air pollution. The molecular mechanisms responsible for such effects are still under debate. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), which travel in body fluids and transfer microRNAs (miRNAs) between tissues (e.g., pulmonary environment and placenta), might play an important role in PM-induced risk. We sought to determine whether the levels of PM with aerodynamic diameters of ≤10µm (PM10) and ≤2.5µm (PM2.5) are associated with changes in plasmatic EV release and EV-miRNA content by investigating 518 women enrolled in the INSIDE study during the first trimester of pregnancy. In all models, we included both the 90-day averages of PM (long-term effects) and the differences between the daily estimate of PM and the 90-day average (short-term effects). Short-term PM10 and PM2.5 were associated with increased concentrations of all seven EV types that we assayed (positive for human antigen leukocyte G (HLA-G), Syncytin-1 (Sync-1), CD14, CD105, CD62e, CD61, or CD25 determinants), while long-term PM10 showed a trend towards decreased EV concentrations. Increased Sync-1+EV levels were associated with the plasmatic decrease of sVCAM-1, but not of sICAM-1, which are circulating biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction. Thirteen EV-miRNAs were downregulated in response to long-term PM10 and PM2.5 variations, while seven were upregulated (p-value<0.05, false discovery rate p-value (qFDR)<0.1). Only one EV-miRNA (hsa-miR-221-3p) was downregulated after short-term variations. The identified PM-modulated EV-miRNAs exhibited putative roles in inflammation, gestational hypertension, and pre-eclampsia, as highlighted by miRNA target analysis. Our findings strongly support the hypothesis that EVs have an important role in modulating PM exposure effects during pregnancy, possibly through their miRNA cargo.

Fast quantification of extracellular vesicles levels in early breast cancer patients by Single Molecule Detection Array (SiMoA)

PurposePreliminary reports suggest that extracellular vesicles (EVs) might be a promising biomarker for breast cancer (BC). However, the quantification of plasmatic levels of EVs is a complex task. To overcome these limitations, we developed a new, fast, and easy to use assay for the quantification of EVs directly in plasma based on the use of Single-Molecule Array (SiMoA).MethodsBy using SiMoA to identify CD9+/CD63+ EVs, we analyzed plasma samples of 181 subjects (95 BC and 86 healthy controls, HC). A calibration curve, made of a serial dilution of lyophilized standards from human plasma, was used in each run to ensure the obtainment of quantitative results from the assay. In a subgroup of patients, EVs concentrations were estimated in plasma before and after 30 days from cancer surgery. Additional information on the size of EVs were also acquired using a Nanosight system to obtain a clearer understanding of the mechanism underlying the releases of EVs associated with the presence of cancer.ResultsThe measured levels of EVs resulted significantly higher in BC patients (median values 1179.1 ng/µl vs 613.0 ng/µl, p < 0.0001). ROC curve was used to define the optimal cut-off level of the test at 1034.5 ng/µl with an AUC of 0.75 [95% CI 0.68–0.82]. EVs plasmatic concentrations significantly decreased after cancer surgery compared to baseline values (p = 0.014). No correlation was found between EVs concentration and clinical features of BC.ConclusionSiMoA assay allows plasmatic EVs levels detection directly without any prior processing. EVs levels are significantly higher in BC patients and significantly decreases after cancer surgery.

MiR196a-5p in extracellular vesicles released from human nasopharyngeal carcinoma enhance the phagocytosis and secretion of microglia by targeting ROCK1

The microenvironment of the brain has become increasingly recognized as an essential regulator in metastatic and primary brain tumors. Recent studies demonstrate that circulating tumor-derived exosomes are critical for the brain tumor microenvironment. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), a malignant tumor of the head and neck, often invades the skull base but infrequently extends to brain parenchyma. Neurobiological communication between microglia and tumor-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) has been extensively studied, but how NPC cells regulate the immune microenvironment in the brain remains unknown. Here, we report that NPC derived EVs lead to increased microglial phagocytosis and proliferation, and heightened levels of IL-6, IL-8, CXCL1 and TGF-β1. Analysis of microRNAs in EVs reveal that miR196a-5p is the major effector microRNA. Moreover, we demonstrate an enrichment of miR196a-5p in the plasmatic EVs of NPC patients. Further investigation demonstrated that miR196a-5p was transferred to microglia and regulated microglial structure and functions by downregulating the expression of ROCK1. Therefore, these data indicate that NPC-derived EVs are potent modulators of microglial functions in brain microenvironment. Regardless of brain colonization, EVs-mediated functional changes in microglia may be a universal phenomenon that results in the alteration of the tumor host's microenvironment in the brain.

The von Willebrand factor stamps plasmatic extracellular vesicles from glioblastoma patients

Glioblastoma is a devastating tumor of the central nervous system characterized by a poor survival and an extremely dark prognosis, making its diagnosis, treatment and monitoring highly challenging. Numerous studies have highlighted extracellular vesicles (EVs) as key players of tumor growth, invasiveness and resistance, as they carry and disseminate oncogenic material in the local tumor microenvironment and at distance. However, whether their quality and quantity reflect individual health status and changes in homeostasis is still not fully elucidated. Here, we separated EVs from plasma collected at different time points alongside with the clinical management of GBM patients. Our findings confirm that plasmatic EVs could be separated and characterized with standardized protocols, thereby ensuring the reliability of measuring vesiclemia, i.e. extracellular vesicle concentration in plasma. This unveils that vesiclemia is a dynamic parameter, which could be reflecting tumor burden and/or response to treatments. Further label-free liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry unmasks the von Willebrand Factor (VWF) as a selective protein hallmark for GBM-patient EVs. Our data thus support the notion that EVs from GBM patients showed differential protein cargos that can be further surveyed in circulating EVs, together with vesiclemia.

Particulate Matter Exposure and Allergic Rhinitis: The Role of Plasmatic Extracellular Vesicles and Bacterial Nasal Microbiome.

Particulate matter (PM) exposure is linked to the worsening of respiratory conditions, including allergic rhinitis (AR), as it can trigger nasal and systemic inflammation. To unveil the underlying molecular mechanisms, we investigated the effects of PM exposure on the release of plasmatic extracellular vesicles (EV) and on the complex cross-talk between the host and the nasal microbiome. To this aim, we evaluated the effects of PM10 and PM2.5 exposures on both the bacteria-derived-EV portion (bEV) and the host-derived EVs (hEV), as well as on bacterial nasal microbiome (bNM) features in 26 AR patients and 24 matched healthy subjects (HS). In addition, we assessed the role exerted by the bNM as a modifier of PM effects on the complex EV signaling network in the paradigmatic context of AR. We observed that PM exposure differently affected EV release and bNM composition in HS compared to AR, thus potentially contributing to the molecular mechanisms underlying AR. The obtained results represent the first step towards the understanding of the complex signaling network linking external stimuli, bNM composition, and the immune risponse.

Blood-derived extracellular vesicles isolated from healthy donors exposed to air pollution modulate in vitro endothelial cells behavior

The release of Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) into the bloodstream is positively associated with Particulate Matter (PM) exposure, which is involved in endothelial dysfunction and related to increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Obesity modifies the effects of PM exposure on heart rate variability and markers of inflammation, oxidative stress, and acute phase response. We isolated and characterized plasmatic EVs from six healthy donors and confirmed a positive association with PM exposure. We stratified for Body Mass Index (BMI) and observed an increased release of CD61+ (platelets) and CD105+ (endothelium) derived-EVs after high PM level exposure in Normal Weight subjects (NW) and no significant variations in Overweight subjects (OW). We then investigated the ability to activate endothelial primary cells by plasmatic EVs after both high and low PM exposure. NW-high-PM EVs showed an increased endothelial activation, measured as CD105+/CD62e+ (activated endothelium) EVs ratio. On the contrary, cells treated with OW-high-PM EVs showed reduced endothelial activation. These results suggest the ability of NW plasmatic EVs to communicate to endothelial cells and promote the crosstalk between activated endothelium and peripheral cells. However, this capacity was lost in OW subjects. Our findings contribute to elucidate the role of EVs in endothelial activation after PM exposure.

Vesiclemia: counting on extracellular vesicles for glioblastoma patients

Although rare, glioblastoma is a devastating tumor of the central nervous system characterized by a poor survival and an extremely dark prognosis, making its diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring highly challenging. Numerous studies have highlighted extracellular vesicles (EVs) as key players of tumor growth, invasiveness, and resistance, as they carry oncogenic material. Moreover, EVs have been shown to communicate locally in a paracrine way but also at remote throughout the organism. Indeed, recent reports demonstrated the presence of brain tumor-derived EVs into body fluids such as plasma and cerebrospinal fluid. Fluid-associated EVs have indeed been suspected to reflect quantitative and qualitative information about the status and fate of the tumor and can potentially act as a resource for noninvasive biomarkers that might assist in diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of glioblastoma patients. Here, we coined the name vesiclemia to define the concentration of plasmatic EVs, an intuitive term to be directly transposed in the clinical jargon.

Human endogenous retroviruses env gene expression and long terminal repeat methylation in colorectal cancer patients

Human endogenous retroviruses (HERV) are remnants of exogenous retroviral infections, representing 8% of the human genome. Their regulation is based on the DNA methylation of promoters, the long terminal repeats (LTRs). Transcripts from HERV have been associated with cancers, but reports concerning HERV expression in colorectal cancer remain sporadic. Sixty-three patients with advanced stages of colorectal cancer were enrolled in this study. The expressions of HERV env gene, and HERV-H, -K, -R and -P LTRs and Alu, LINE-1 methylation levels, were investigated in the tumor, normal adjacent tissues, and, where possible, blood and plasmatic extracellular vesicles (EVs). Associations among HERV env expression, methylation status and clinical characteristics were evaluated. No differences were observed in HERV env gene expression levels among the clinical specimens, while Alu, LINE-1, HERV-H and -K LTRs were demethylated in the tumor compared to the normal adjacent tissues (p < 0.05).The HERV env gene was expressed in the EVs at of 54% (-H), 38% (-K), 31% (-R) patients. Association was not found between HERV env expression and LTR methylation, but significant higher expression of HERV-P and -R env was found in tumor tissues arising from the right colon. Our findings do not demonstrate significant overexpression of the studied HERV in colorectal cancer, but their association with tumor localization and specificity of the changes in DNA methylation of retroelements are shown. HERV sequences were packaged in the EVs and might be transferred from one cell to another.

Plasmatic Extracellular Vesicles in Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease after Haplo-Identical Allografting with Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide

INTRODUCTION: Acute Graft-versus-Host-Disease (aGVHD) is a frequent complication where the endothelium may play a pivotal role. We recently investigated the potential role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) as novel biomarkers of aGVHD (Lia G. et al. Leukemia 2018). In this study we further investigated the correlation of plasma EVs and their content in miRNAs with the risk of developing aGVHD in the setting of post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCY) haploidentical-stem cell transplantation (Haplo-SCT). METHODS: Thirty-two patients who underwent a Haplo-SCT were included. Plasma samples were collected from peripheral blood at given time-points (pre-transplant, on day 0, 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 45, 60, 75 and 90 after transplant). EVs were extracted by a protamine-based precipitation method and were characterized by Nano-tracking Particle Analysis (Nanosight). EVs were then analyzed by flow-cytometry (Guava EasyCyte Flow Cytometer) with a panel of 14 antibodies (CD44, CD138, CD146, KRT18, CD120a, CD8, CD30, CD106, CD25, CD26, CD31, CD144, CD86, and CD140a). MiRNAs were extracted from EVs by miRNeasy Mini Kit (Qiagen) and retrotranscribed by miScript II RT Kit (Qiagen). Three miRNAs (miR100, miR194, miR155) were studied and quantified by qRT-PCR using the miScript SYBR Green PCR Kit (Qiagen). Concomitant plasma concentrations of human Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor I (TNFR1) and human ST2 were also evaluated using a commercially available sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DualSET® ELISA R&amp;D Systems). The risk of aGVHD was evaluated by logistic regression models and Odds Ratios (ORs) were estimated as absolute levels and as proportional changes compared with pre-transplant baseline levels of each marker. Moreover, among biomarkers significantly associated with a higher risk of aGVHD, a multivariable logistic regression model using Akaike's information criteria (AIC) was estimated to define a biomarker combination. Ors were reported for 1-unit increase of standardized variables. RESULTS: AGVHD (grade II-IV) was observed in 7/32 patients (22%) at a median of 41 (range 33-90) days after transplant. Logistic regression models showed that CD146 fluorescence was associated with a significantly increased risk of acute GVHD (OR 2.93 p&amp;lt;0.001) as well as expression changes in miR100, miR155 and miR194 (OR 3.90 p&amp;lt;0.001; OR 1.84 p=0.008; OR 2.68 p&amp;lt;0.001, respectively). Concentrations of plasmatic hTNFR1 and ST2 were also confirmed to be associated with increased risk of aGVHD (OR 1.47 p=0.04; OR 1.55 p=0.05, respectively) as previously described. Of note, all biomarkers associated with risk of aGVHD showed a consensual change in signal levels before the onset of aGVHD (Figure 1). By applying a backward selection on a multivariable logistic model using the AICapproach, we found that the combination of CD146-miR100-TNFR1 with an individual AUROC of 0.858, 0.923, and 0.794, respectively, increased their discrimination ability to predict aGVHD (multivariable AUROC = 0.987). CONCLUSIONS: This study, in the setting of haplo-transplant, confirms the association of CD146, a cell adhesion molecule, and the risk of aGVHD suggesting an important role of endothelium damage in the pathogenesis of aGVHD. The association of miRNA100, miRNA155 and miRNA194, carried by EVs, and aGVHD was also significant. Interestingly, MiRNA100 was reported to regulate inflammatory neovascularization during GvHD while miR-155 plays a role in donor T cell expansion. We have also found that using three markers in combination (CD146-miR100-TNFR1) could greatly improve aGVHD predictivity. To translate our results into an in vivo model, we have recently designed preclinical mouse models to evaluate if a) antagomir (against miRNA100 and/or miRNA155) injections or b) pre-emptive treatments with endothelium protective agents such as defibrinotide or OMS721 (Anti-Masp2) may reduce the risk of aGVHD. Figure1 a) Signal variation from baseline level (preTx) of CD146 fluorescence, miR100 expression, and TNFR1 concentration before aGVHD onset. Disclosures Boccadoro: Sanofi: Honoraria, Research Funding; Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding; Amgen: Honoraria, Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; AbbVie: Honoraria; Mundipharma: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Research Funding.

Plasmatic extracellular vesicle microRNAs in malignant pleural mesothelioma and asbestos-exposed subjects suggest a 2-miRNA signature as potential biomarker of disease.

BackgroundMalignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive cancer mainly caused by asbestos exposure and refractory to current therapies. Specific diagnostic markers for early MPM diagnosis are needed. Changes in miRNA expression have been implicated in several diseases and cancers, including MPM. We examined if a specific miRNA signature in plasmatic extracellular vesicles (EV) may help to discriminate between malignant pleural mesothelioma patients (MPM) and subjects with Past Asbestos Exposure (PAE).Methodology/Principal findingsWe investigated 23 MPM patients and 19 cancer-free subjects with past asbestos exposure (PAE). We screened 754 miRNAs in plasmatic EVs by OpenArray and found 55 differential miRNAs using logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, BMI, and smoking. Among the top-20 differential miRNAs chosen for validation by Real time PCR, 16 were confirmed. Using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, the most discriminating miRNA combination was given by miR-103a-3p + miR-30e-3p, which generated an AUC of 0.942 (95% CI 0.87–1.00), with a sensitivity of 95.5% and a specificity of 80.0%. Using multivariate Cox regression analysis including gender, age, BMI and smoking we found a Hazard Ratio for miR-103a-3p above the median of 0.37 (95%CI 0.13–1.13) and of 0.51 (95%CI 0.17–1.52) for miR-30e-3p.ConclusionsThis study suggests EV-associated miR-103a-3p and miR-30e-3p are able to discriminate MPM from PAE subjects. Larger and prospective studies are needed to confirm these two-miRNA signature alone or in combination with other biomarkers as diagnostic tools for MPM.

Abstract 3152: Breast cancer-derived extracellular vesicles: clinical and prognostic impact

Abstract Background: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are released from cancer cells into the tumor microenvironment, there participating in intercellular communication by altering recipient cell function. Breast cancer (BC) derived EVs are hypothesized to have an impact on tumor growth, immunosuppression or metastatic development, indicating analytical significance of EV concentrations in BC patients. For this reason, we investigated plasmatic EV numbers from locally advanced, neoadjuvant treated (NACT) BC patients in association with clinical parameters and prognostic impact. Material and methods: Plasmatic extracellular vesicles were isolated using ExoQuick™ precipitation reagent (SBI Inc., Mountain View, CA, USA), according to manufacturer's instructions, from locally advanced BC patients before (n = 142) and after (n = 156) NACT as well as from healthy female controls (n = 16). Subsequently, number and EV particle size were analyzed using ZetaView Laser Scattering Video Microscope (Particle Metrix GmbH, Microtrac, Meerbusch, Germany). Samples were 1:50.000 in PBS pre-diluted to obtain particle concentrations of approx. 1 × 10⁁6 particles per ml. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and stem cell-like circulating tumor cells (slCTCs) were evaluated using the AdnaTests BreastCancer, StemCell and EMT, respectively (QIAGEN Hannover GmbH, Germany). Results: EV particle concentrations (mean ± SEM in 10⁁9/ml) were significantly (p &amp;lt; 0.0001) elevated in BC patients (n = 104, respectively) before (2370 ± 170) and after (3524 ± 523) NACT compared to healthy females (90 ± 19). Paired analysis before and after NACT revealed higher EV levels after NACT (p = 0.008). In association studies, high EV numbers before NACT were related to less differentiated carcinomas and to lymph node spread. ROC analysis showed optimal cut-off values of EV levels (i) before NACT: 3540 × 10⁁9/ml (sensitivity: 66.7%; specificity: 78.1%; AUC = 0.706) and (ii) after NACT: 2480 × 10⁁9/ml (sensitivity: 100%; specificity: 44,3%; AUC = 0.654). In Kaplan-Meier analysis, a decreased 3-year PFS was significantly associated with EV particle concentrations after NACT &amp;gt; 2480 × 10⁁9/ml (p = 0.005). A reduced OS of BC patients was significantly associated with (i) EV levels before NACT &amp;gt; 3540 × 10⁁9/ml) (p = 0.001) and (ii) EV levels after NACT &amp;gt; 2480 × 109/ml) (p = 0.003). Decreased EV levels were found in BC patients after NACT with CTCs expressing ERCC1 (p = 0.025) or the stem cell marker ALDH1 (p = 0.004). Conclusion: In conclusion, BC patients showed elevated plasmatic EV levels compared to healthy females, while increased EV levels after NACT might be due to therapeutic effects. The association between EV particle concentrations and clinical parameters as well as their prognostic impact on clinical outcome in BC indicate the importance of EVs as a mediator in the BC tumor microenvironment. Therefore, determination of plasmatic EV particle amount might serve as a biomarker for BC monitoring. Citation Format: Lisa König, Vera Rebmann, Oliver Hoffmann, Ann-Kathrin Bittner, Bettina Wagner, Luis Felipe Santos Manvailer, Sabine Schramm, Agnes Bankfalvi, Bernd Giebel, Rainer Kimmig, Peter A. Horn, Sabine Kasimir-Bauer. Breast cancer-derived extracellular vesicles: clinical and prognostic impact. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 3152.