Multicomponent-based analyses of ACS-patient-derived extracellular vesicles as likely tools for tailored

Saveria Femminò1, Alessandro Sarcinella1, Alberto Grosso1

  • 1Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.

Iscience
|October 13, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Extracellular vesicle (EV) profiling in patients with acute coronary syndrome can improve risk stratification. This approach, analyzing EV-miR-130a-3p, helps predict the absence of critical coronary artery disease, potentially reducing unnecessary procedures.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Biomarker Discovery
  • Extracellular Vesicle Research

Background:

  • Lack of reliable biomarkers for risk stratification in non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and unstable angina (UA) leads to unnecessary coronary angiograms (CAGs).
  • High-risk patients with NSTEMI/UA require accurate tools to identify those without significant coronary artery disease (CAD).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the utility of circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs) and their microRNA (miRNA) cargo for risk stratification in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients.
  • To identify novel EV-based biomarkers that can reduce unnecessary CAGs by predicting the absence of critical CAD.

Main Methods:

  • Profiling of patient-derived circulating EVs and their miRNA cargo from ACS patients.
  • Proteomic analysis to identify differentially enriched proteins in EVs.
  • Multivariate analysis to determine predictors of non-critical CAD (NO CAD).

Main Results:

  • Enrichment of miR-130a-3p in CD62p+EVs correlated with the absence of non-critical CAD.
  • Nine proteins were differentially enriched between patients with and without critical CAD.
  • EV-miR-130a-3p, phospholipid transfer protein, and mitochondrial trifunctional enzyme beta subunit predicted NO CAD.
  • EV-miR-130a-3p enrichment predicted the absence of multivessel disease.

Conclusions:

  • Circulating EV profiling offers a promising strategy for improved risk stratification in ACS patients.
  • EV-based biomarkers, particularly EV-miR-130a-3p, can help identify patients unlikely to have significant CAD, potentially avoiding invasive procedures.
  • EV profiling can optimize clinical management and reduce healthcare costs associated with unnecessary CAGs.

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