[WS4] APPA/PSSJ Joint Workshop Toward International Cooperation in Protein Science

[WS4-01] Proteogenomic landscape of extracellular vesicles (EVs): functional insights and diagnostic potential

^○Richard J. Simpson¹, Rong Xu^1,2, Wittaya Suwakulsiri¹ (1.Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science (LIMS), La Trobe University, 2.NanoBiotechnology Laboratory, Australian centre for Blood Diseases, Central Clinical School, Monash University)

Secretion and exchange of extracellular vesicles (EVs) by most cell types is emerging as a central paradigm for intercellular communication. Although much is known about EVs there is still lack of definition as to how many naturally-occurring EV classes/subtypes exist and how their biochemical and functional properties differ; critical information if EVs are to be fully harnessed for therapeutic applications including precision medicine.
Two major, molecularly-distinct EV classes are well described: 30-1000 nm diameter shed microvesicles (sMVs, also known as microparticles, or ectosomes) and exosomes (30-150 nm diameter). Accruing evidence reveals subtypes within each EV class exist and are molecularly distinct. More recently, we discovered a third major class of EV - shed midbody remnants (sMB-Rs) - which is biochemically distinct from exosomes and sMVs.
Here, I will present a comparative proteomic and transcriptomic profiling analysis of three EV classes ( exosomes, sMVs and sMB-Rs) and discuss the diagnostic potential their cargo (protein/ RNA species (mRNA, pseudogene transcripts, miRNA, and lncRNA)/ fusion genes) in the context of disease biomarkers and precision medicine. Additionally, I will discuss our recent findings concerning the role of EVs in the tumour microenvironment (especially, exosome-dependent tumour-stromal communication), and H-RAS-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT).