Immunoaffinity-Based Microfluidic Platform for Exosomal MicroRNA Isolation from Obese and Lean Mouse Plasma

A new way of intercellular communication has been recently demonstrated, consisting of the controlled release of small vesicles loaded with bioactive factors (proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids chiefly amongst them) to the extracellular compartment. Importantly, these extracellular vesicles (EVs), including microvesicles and exosomes, regulate various physiological processes and, when disturbed, may contribute to the onset and progression of many diseases. Hence, they can be exploited as informative biomarkers to diagnose and monitor pathological conditions, including type 2 diabetes and associated metabolic disease. However, currently available techniques to isolate EVs lack reproducibility, effectiveness, and rapidity and require high amounts of starting samples, limiting their introduction in clinical practice. The objective of this work is to use a simple and easy-to-use microfluidic platform for capturing and quantifying a specific subpopulation of EVs from a small volume of plasma. As a proof-of-concept, the platform is tested with murine plasma. An analysis of the microRNA (miRNA) content of the isolated EVs is performed, detecting significant differences when comparing lean and obese mice. Thus, the device offers an easy, straightforward system to detect and analyze plasma-derived EVs in the everyday clinical setting.

Automated summary

A new method of intercellular communication is demonstrated by releasing controlled vesicles loaded with bioactive factors to the extracellular space. These extracellular vesicles (EVs), including microvesicles and exosomes, play a crucial role in regulating physiological processes and can be used as biomarkers for diagnosing diseases. However, current techniques to isolate EVs lack reproducibility and effectiveness, hindering their use in clinical practice. This study aims to develop a simple microfluidic platform for capturing and quantifying specific subpopulations of EVs from a small volume of plasma, allowing for easy detection and analysis in a clinical setting.