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Updated: Jul 17, 2025

Characterization of Immune Cell-derived Extracellular Vesicles and Studying Functional Impact on Cell Environment
Published on: June 2, 2020
The cellular response to extracellular vesicles is dependent on their cell source and dose
Daniel W Hagey1,2, Miina Ojansivu3, Beklem R Bostancioglu1,2
1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Cellular responses to extracellular vesicles (EVs) depend more on dose than source. High doses alter exocytosis and lysosomal activity, while low doses reveal source-specific effects, impacting cell communication and therapy potential.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Biotechnology
- Immunology
Background:
- Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are crucial for intercellular communication.
- EVs show therapeutic potential but cellular responses are poorly understood.
- Understanding EV-recipient cell interactions is key for therapeutic applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate cellular transcriptional and functional responses to EVs.
- To determine the impact of EV dose and cell source on recipient cells.
- To elucidate EV-derived transcript contribution to recipient cell activity.
Main Methods:
- Fibroblasts treated with EVs from 12 sources at varying doses (20-200,000 EVs/cell).
- Transcriptional effects analyzed using single-cell RNA sequencing.
- Functional confirmation in vitro and in vivo.
Main Results:
- EV dose significantly impacts cellular response more than cell source.
- High EV doses down-regulate exocytosis and up-regulate lysosomal activity.
- Low EV doses elicit source-specific responses reflecting EV origin; immune cell EVs show highest recipient association.
Conclusions:
- Cellular response to EVs is dose-dependent, with distinct effects at high versus low doses.
- EV source influences cellular response at low doses, highlighting cell-specific communication.
- EV-derived transcripts, particularly from immune cells, play a role in recipient cell modulation.
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