title: Microvesicles and exosomes: new players in metabolic and cardiovascular disease.
abstract: The past decade has witnessed an exponential increase in the number of publications referring to extracellular vesicles (EVs). For many years considered to be extracellular debris, EVs are now seen as novel mediators of endocrine signalling via cell-to-cell communication. With the capability of transferring proteins and nucleic acids from one cell to another, they have become an attractive focus of research for different pathological settings and are now regarded as both mediators and biomarkers of disease including cardio-metabolic disease. They also offer therapeutic potential as signalling agents capable of targeting tissues or cells with specific peptides or miRNAs. In this review, we focus on the role that microvesicles (MVs) and exosomes, the two most studied classes of EV, have in diabetes, cardiovascular disease, endothelial dysfunction, coagulopathies, and polycystic ovary syndrome. We also provide an overview of current developments in MV/exosome isolation techniques from plasma and other fluids, comparing different available commercial and non-commercial methods. We describe different techniques for their optical/biochemical characterization and quantitation. We also review the signalling pathways that exosomes and MVs activate in target cells and provide some insight into their use as biomarkers or potential therapeutic agents. In summary, we give an updated focus on the role that these exciting novel nanoparticles offer for the endocrine community.
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Biomedical SciencesRoyal Veterinary College, Royal College Street, London NW1 0TU, UKThe Hatter Cardiovascular InstituteUniversity College London, London WC1E 6HX, UK chlawson@rvc.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lawson
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Biomedical SciencesRoyal Veterinary College, Royal College Street, London NW1 0TU, UKThe Hatter Cardiovascular InstituteUniversity College London, London WC1E 6HX, UK.
authors.forename: Jose M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Vicencio
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Biomedical SciencesRoyal Veterinary College, Royal College Street, London NW1 0TU, UKThe Hatter Cardiovascular InstituteUniversity College London, London WC1E 6HX, UK.
authors.forename: Derek M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Yellon
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Biomedical SciencesRoyal Veterinary College, Royal College Street, London NW1 0TU, UKThe Hatter Cardiovascular InstituteUniversity College London, London WC1E 6HX, UK.
authors.forename: Sean M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Davidson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001778:Blood Coagulation Disorders; D001826:Body Fluids; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases; D002450:Cell Communication; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus; D004703:Endocrine System; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology; D055354:Exosomes / Q000502:physiology*; D000067128:Extracellular Vesicles / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008659:Metabolic Diseases; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins; D012313:RNA
keywords: diabetes; endothelium; exosomes; heart; microRNA; microvesicles; nanoparticles