bims-evecad 2025-08-17 papers

Issue of 2025–08–17
two papers selected by
Cliff Dominy

bioRxiv. 2025 Jul 14. pii: 2025.07.11.664236. [Epub ahead of print]

Immune cells regulate circulating adipocyte extracellular vesicle levels in response to metabolic shifts.

Snigdha Tiash, Marjori Russo, Yun-Ling Pai, Wentong Jia, Rachael L Field, Terri Pietka, Nada A Abumrad, Gordon I Smith, Dmitri Samovski, Samuel Klein, Jonathan R Brestoff, Clair Crewe.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are now recognized as potent mediators of intercellular and inter-organ signaling and implicated in the pathogenesis of obesity and its associated comorbidities such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegeneration. Despite a surge of new functional information about EVs, we still lack a basic understanding of how endogenous EV levels are controlled to regulate inter-organ signaling. New flow cytometry technology has allowed us to study the regulation of circulating, endogenous EVs from metabolically relevant cell types like adipocytes. From this, we provide evidence for a paradigm of EV regulation where tissue resident immune cells, predominantly macrophages, clear EVs released by local tissue cells or EVs entering the tissue from circulation, an activity that determines circulating EV levels. In obesity, EV uptake by adipose tissue immune cells is reduced, concomitant with increased circulating adipocyte-specific EVs (adipoEVs) and reduced EV clearance rates. AdipoEVs are significantly elevated in mouse circulation from one day to 20 weeks of high-fat feeding. In humans we found that adipocyte EV levels negatively correlate with whole-body and liver insulin sensitivity and are not associated with adipose mass. This work suggests that tissue resident immune cells act as a gatekeeper for tissue EV entry into circulation and are thereby a major regulator of inter-organ EV signaling.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.07.11.664236

Tissue Cell. 2025 Aug 05. pii: S0040-8166(25)00348-9. [Epub ahead of print]97 103068

Unlocking the potential of EXOs in regenerative medicine: A comprehensive review.

Tayebeh Sadat Tabatabai, Morteza Alizadeh, Leila Rezakhani, Tahereh Sadat Tabatabai, Arian Ehterami, Shahin Gharedaghi Kloucheh, Maziar Malekzadeh Kebria, Ahmad Vaez, Majid Salehi.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), particularly exosomes (EXOs), are essential in cellular communication and play significant roles in various physiological and pathological processes. Ranging in size from 30 to 150 nm, EXOs are lipid vesicles derived from the endosomal system and characterized by their distinctive cup-shaped morphology. These vesicles are produced by hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic cells and are found in all body fluids, including blood plasma, cerebrospinal fluid, urine, saliva, and breast milk. EXOs are equipped to transfer a myriad of bioactive materials-proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and microRNAs-to recipient cells locally and distantly, potentially altering cellular function and influencing the microenvironment. Given their significant roles, this review comprehensively examines the various aspects of EXOs, from their biogenesis and preparation to their isolation and detailed characterization. We discuss the necessity of understanding these fundamental aspects to harness EXOs' potential in clinical applications, particularly in regenerative medicine. The review highlights the latest advances in using EXOs as carriers for therapeutic molecules, ranging from small molecules and genes to large therapeutic proteins and nanoparticles, emphasizing their application in drug delivery for cancer treatment and immunotherapy. Moreover, the paper delves into the promising applications of EXOs in tissue repair and regeneration, detailing specific cases in skin, bone, cartilage, heart, lung, and neurological diseases, among others. Each section explores not only the therapeutic potential but also the underlying mechanisms by which EXOs facilitate these regenerative processes. By discussing the clinical applications and inherent challenges of utilizing EXOs, this review underscores the critical need for continued research to fully exploit EXOs' therapeutic capabilities, offering insights into their future implications in medicine.

Keywords: EXOs; Regenerative medicine; Tissue engineering

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tice.2025.103068