title: Review: Embryo- and endometrium-derived exosomes and their potential role in assisted reproductive treatments-liquid biopsies for endometrial receptivity.
abstract: Multiple pregnancies resulting from the transfer of more than one embryo pose a significant threat to offspring born through Assisted Reproductive Treatments (ART). Transferring one embryo at a time would eliminate this risk. However, current approaches of identifying the highest quality embryo to transfer are either unreliable (e.g. morphology assessment) or highly invasive and potentially detrimental to embryos (e.g. PGD). Approaches for non-invasive embryo selection would be a major advancement that would increase efficiency and reduce both the costs and the risks associated with ART. Exosomes are a particular subtype of extracellular vesicles (EVs) that are secreted from a wide range of cells, including placental and endometrium cells. Exosomes are very stable vesicles that contain a broad spectrum of molecules, including proteins, mRNAs and miRNAs. Very little is known about this form of cell-to-cell communication in the context of ovarian follicular biology and implantation, but emerging data suggest that exosomes secreted by the blastocyst could influence gene expression and receptivity of endometrial cells thereby controlling its own implantation. Here we review emerging findings regarding exosomal signalling in reproductive biology and the prospects for mapping blastocyst-derived exosomal profiles as a means for supporting single embryo transfer policies.
authors.affiliation: Christopher Chen Oocyte Biology Research Laboratory, University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Australia.
authors.forename: Hayden
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Homer
authors.affiliation: Exosome Biology Laboratory, Centre for Clinical Diagnostics, University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, The University of Queensland, Brisbane QLD 4029, Australia; Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, USA.
authors.forename: Gregory E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.affiliation: Exosome Biology Laboratory, Centre for Clinical Diagnostics, University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, The University of Queensland, Brisbane QLD 4029, Australia; Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, USA. Electronic address: c.salomongallo@uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Salomon
mesh_terms: D010064:Embryo Implantation; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000378:metabolism*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism*; D055354:Exosomes / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: Endometrium; Exosomes; Implantation; In vitro fertilisation