In Vivo Tracking of Multiple Tumor Exosomes Labeled by Phospholipid-Based Bioorthogonal Conjugation

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Cell Biology
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Exosomes are nanoscale vesicles crucial in pathophysiological processes.
• Understanding exosome in vivo behavior is vital for clinical applications but limited by labeling techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an efficient and non-disruptive method for labeling exosomes.
• To investigate the in vivo biodistribution and organotropic uptake of tumor-derived exosomes.

Main Methods:

• A phospholipid-based bioorthogonal labeling strategy was employed to attach optical probes to exosomes.
• Simultaneous tracking of multiple tumor exosome populations in a single mouse model was performed.

Main Results:

• The labeling method successfully endowed exosomes with optical probes without altering their native functions.
• Exosomes derived from different cell lines exhibited distinct organotropic uptake patterns.
• Dynamic in vivo trafficking and biodistribution of exosomes were visualized.

Conclusions:

• The developed phospholipid-based labeling strategy enables direct visualization of exosome trafficking in living systems.
• This method provides a powerful tool for studying exosome-involved biological events, including cancer metastasis.
• It holds significant promise for advancing exosome-based diagnostics and therapeutics.