Liquid Biopsies: Microvesicles in Cardiovascular Disease

Circulating microvesicles (cMV) are small (0.1-1 μm) phospholipid-rich blebs released by almost all cell types, and their release increases with cell activation and injury, thus reflecting the state of the cell from which they are originated. Microvesicles (MV) are found in the bloodstream, and they affect the phenotype of recipient cells, after local or systemic circulation, by intercellular transfer of their molecular content. Several studies suggest the use of cell-specific MV subpopulations as predictive biomarkers for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) at different stages and degrees of severity. In this review, we describe the state of the art of cMV as noninvasive surrogate biomarkers of vascular injury and dysfunction correlated with poor clinical outcomes in CVD. Despite the growing body of evidence supporting the importance of cMV as hallmarks of CVD and their utility as biomarkers of CVD, the specific roles of each phenotype of cMV in CVD burden and prognosis still remain to be elucidated and validated in large cohorts. In addition, the development of standardized and reproducible techniques is required to be used as biomarkers for disease progression in the clinical setting. A multipanel approach with specific cMV phenotypes, added to current biomarkers and scores, will undoubtedly provide unique prognostic information to stratify patients for appropriate therapy on the basis of their risk of atherothrombotic disease and will open a new research area as therapeutic targets for CVD. MV will add to the implementation of precision medicine by helping the cellular and molecular characterization of CVD patients.