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Review
. 2020 Nov 12;10(11):943.
doi: 10.3390/diagnostics10110943.

Exosomes in Cardiovascular Diseases

Marta Zarà  1 , Patrizia Amadio  1 , Jeness Campodonico  2 , Leonardo Sandrini  1 , Silvia S Barbieri  1
Affiliations
Review

Exosomes in Cardiovascular Diseases

Marta Zarà et al. Diagnostics (Basel). .

Abstract

Exosomes are nano-sized biovesicles of endocytic origin physiologically released by nearly all cell types into surrounding body fluids. They carry cell-specific cargos of protein, lipids, and genetic materials and can be selectively taken up by neighboring or distant cells. Since the intrinsic properties of exosomes are strictly influenced by the state of the parental cell and by the cellular microenvironment, the analysis of exosome origin and content, and their cell-targeting specificity, make them attractive as possible diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. While the possible role of exosomes as messengers and a regenerative tool in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is actively investigated, the evidence about their usefulness as biomarkers is still limited and incomplete. Further complications are due to the lack of consensus regarding the most appropriate approach for exosome isolation and characterization, both important issues for their effective clinical translation. As a consequence, in this review, we will discuss the few information currently accessible about the diagnostic/prognostic potential of exosomes in CVDs and on the methodologies available for exosome isolation, analysis, and characterization.

Keywords: biomarkers; cardiovascular disease; diagnostic; exosomes; extracellular vesicles.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic representation of exosome biogenesis and release. Exosomes are generated by invagination of late endosomal membranes that results in the formation of intraluminal vesicles (ILVs) within multivesicular bodies (MVBs). The formation of ILVs is driven by endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) components and /or by specific membrane domains rich in lipids. Then, MVBs travel along microtubules and ILVs are ultimately secreted as exosomes through a SNARE-mediated fusion of MVBs with a plasma membrane.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Schematic representation of conventional exosome isolation techniques. The most widely used techniques are based on ultracentrifugation (A), size (B), immunoaffinity (C), and precipitation reagents (D).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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