Donor-specific phenotypic variation in hiPSC cardiomyocyte-derived exosomes impacts endothelial cell function

Amy Turner1, Praful Aggarwal1, Andrea Matter1

  • 1Section of Genomic Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Medicine and Physiology, Children's Research Institute and Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Insights

Cardiomyocyte-derived exosomes differ between individuals with and without left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). These exosomes impact endothelial cell function, suggesting a role in cardiovascular disease and regenerative medicine.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Biology
  • Cell Signaling
  • Regenerative Medicine

Background:

  • Exosomes mediate cell-cell communication in the cardiovascular system.
  • Interindividual variations in exosome content may contribute to cardiovascular disease pathology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of cardiomyocyte (CM) variation on exosomal content.
  • To characterize exosome content from human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived CMs (hiPSC-CMs) from individuals with and without left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH).

Main Methods:

  • Generated hiPSC-CM lines from six HyperGEN cohort participants (3 with LVH, 3 with normal left ventricular mass).
  • Analyzed intracellular and exosomal RNA populations.
  • Performed functional assays on hiPSC-endothelial cells (hiPSC-ECs) treated with exosomes.

Main Results:

  • Distinct RNA expression patterns were observed between hiPSC-CMs from LVH and normal LVM individuals.
  • Exosomes from LVH-affected donors altered hiPSC-EC proliferation, tube formation, and migration.
  • Exosome treatment induced significant expression changes related to angiogenesis and vasculogenesis.

Conclusions:

  • Intracellular RNA and exosomal miRNA content differ significantly in hiPSC-CMs from LVH-affected individuals.
  • Exosomes from different donors functionally impact endothelial cell phenotypes distinctly.
  • Findings offer insights into hypertrophic cell signaling and have implications for cardiovascular regenerative medicine.

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