Tear fluid derived extracellular vesicles for new biomarker discovery

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Molecular Biology
• Ophthalmology

Background:

• Cellular communication relies on extracellular vesicles (EVs) carrying proteins, DNA, and RNA.
• EV-derived molecules can indicate disease status and progression, suggesting therapeutic applications.
• Tear-derived EVs are particularly promising for monitoring ocular conditions due to their protective nature.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review EV isolation methods, EV-enriched fluids, and molecular analysis techniques.
• To highlight the potential of tear-derived EVs as biomarkers for undiagnosed ocular diseases.
• To explore the therapeutic applications of EVs, including gene transfer and immunomodulation for autoimmune eye diseases.

Main Methods:

• Review of literature on EV isolation and characterization.
• Analysis of studies focusing on differential mi-RNA and protein levels in EVs.
• Examination of multi-omic analysis of tear-fluid content.

Main Results:

• Tear-derived EVs can monitor ocular conditions like Dry Eye Disease (DED), Sjögren's disease (SJD), Ocular graft-versus-host disease (oGVHD), and Diabetic Retinopathy (DR).
• Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived EVs exhibit immunomodulatory properties beneficial for autoimmune ocular diseases.
• Multi-omic analysis of tear EVs reveals their potential as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic agents.

Conclusions:

• Extracellular vesicles in tear fluid are valuable biomarkers for early detection of various ocular diseases.
• EVs offer therapeutic potential, particularly MSC-derived EVs for autoimmune ocular conditions.
• Multi-omic analysis of tear EVs represents a promising avenue for advancing ophthalmology.