Characterization of EXOsomes of the Spanish POpulation of REference (EXOSPORE)

• Published in: Journal of extracellular vesicles 2018-01, Vol.7, p.119-120
• Main Authors: García-Flores, María, Fernández-Pascual, Verónica, Hortas, María Luisa, Romero, Raquel, Aguilar-Quesada, Rocío, García Sánchez, Maria Isabel, Labajo, Rosa Pinto, Caro, María Pérez, García-Palomo, Francisco Javier, Bizkarralegorra, Ainara Egia, Belar, Oihana, de la Fuente, Jorge Gallego, Tora, Montserrat, tuño, María Antonia, Astudillo, Aurora, Ruiz, María, Morente, Manuel M, Artiga, Maria Jesus, Teijeira, Susana, Lopez-Guerrero, Jose Antonio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biomarkers; Cancer; Cell culture; Culture media; Diagnosis; Exosomes; Infectious diseases; Proteomics; Researchers; Studies; Ultracentrifugation; Ultrafiltration; Urine
• ISSN: 2001-3078

Background: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are of great interest given their involvement in multiple biological functions and in therapeutic use: biomarkers for diagnosis or monitoring of certain diseases, vectors for the transport and administration of certain drugs or as therapeutic agents per se. Most researchers working with EVs need controls/references for their studies. Nowadays, there is not any consensus regarding the type and number of controls to be studied. Methods: In order to know better the needs of EVs researchers in the field of controls, an online survey about the convenience for researchers of having controls for their studies was distributed, the responses being highly favourable. Results: A total of 40 answers were received from researchers focused on pathologies such as cancer, cardiovascular and infectious diseases. Most of these studies were focused on fields such as the identification of biomarkers, diagnosis or prognosis of diseases. An average of about 60 cases/study (range: 10-300) are included, the main source of obtaining VEs being plasma, cell culture media and urine. The method preferred for obtaining exosomes was ultracentrifugation, although there were already a variety of procedures for its isolation (ultrafiltration, commercial isolation kits). The number of controls used in each study, was also very variable: same number than cases, or 20% of the analysed cases, with a range between 10 and 100 controls per study. All EVs researchers would be interested in having a collection of controls because they considered it very useful and they all would be potential users, especially if this collection was aimed at adults and both sexes. Regarding the type of characterization in which the researchers would be interested, most of them opted for proteomics and transcriptomics and they considered the association of information regarding sample donors very useful. Summary/Conclusion: In light of these needs, we decided to propose the EXOSPORE, a coordinated action between Biobanks and other institutions to constitute a representative collection of EVs isolated from plasma and urine that can be used as controls in the field of biomedical research.