Project description:Exosomes and microvesicles (i.e., extracellular vesicles; EVs) have been identified within ovarian follicular fluid, and recent evidence suggests that EVs are able to elicit profound effects on ovarian cell function. While existence of miRNA within EVs has been reported, it remains unknown if EV size and concentration as well as their cargos (i.e., proteins and RNA) change during antral follicle growth. Extracellular vesicles isolated from follicular fluid of small, medium and large bovine follicles were similar in size, while concentration of EVs decreased progressively as follicle size increased. Electron microscopy indicated a highly purified population of the lipid bilayer enclosed vesicles that were enriched in exosome biomarkers including CD81 and Alix. Small RNA sequencing identified a large number of known and novel miRNAs that changed in the EVs of different size follicles. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) indicated that miRNA abundant in small follicle EV preparations were associated with cell proliferation pathways, while those miRNA abundant in large follicle preparations were related to inflammatory response pathways. These studies are the first to demonstrate that EVs change in their levels and makeup during antral follicle development and point to the potential for a unique vesicle-mediated cell-to-cell communication network within the ovarian follicle. Examination of small RNA population in bovine follicular fluid extracellular vesicles isolated from antral follicles
Project description:Follicular fluid (FF) provides a complex and suitable environment for oocyte maturation and contains several molecules secreted from oocyte and granulosa, cumulus, and theca cells. In addition, extracellular vesicles (EV) exist in various body fluids and are known as the cargo of several mRNAs, proteins, and miRNAs to communicate from cell to cell. In this study, we investigated the miRNA profiles of FF-derived EVs.
Project description:Exosomes and microvesicles (i.e., extracellular vesicles; EVs) have been identified within ovarian follicular fluid, and recent evidence suggests that EVs are able to elicit profound effects on ovarian cell function. While existence of miRNA within EVs has been reported, it remains unknown if EV size and concentration as well as their cargos (i.e., proteins and RNA) change during antral follicle growth. Extracellular vesicles isolated from follicular fluid of small, medium and large bovine follicles were similar in size, while concentration of EVs decreased progressively as follicle size increased. Electron microscopy indicated a highly purified population of the lipid bilayer enclosed vesicles that were enriched in exosome biomarkers including CD81 and Alix. Small RNA sequencing identified a large number of known and novel miRNAs that changed in the EVs of different size follicles. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) indicated that miRNA abundant in small follicle EV preparations were associated with cell proliferation pathways, while those miRNA abundant in large follicle preparations were related to inflammatory response pathways. These studies are the first to demonstrate that EVs change in their levels and makeup during antral follicle development and point to the potential for a unique vesicle-mediated cell-to-cell communication network within the ovarian follicle.
Project description:Exosomes/microvesicles (hereafter referred to as extracellular vesicles) were isolated from the ULF of day 14 cyclic and pregnant ewes using ExoQuick-TC. Extracellular vesicle RNA was pooled (n=4 per status) and analyzed for small RNAs by sequencing on the Ion Torrent PGM platform and analysis with CLC Genomics Workbench small RNA workflow based on the miRBase (Release 19) Bos taurus database. Small RNA analysis of day 14 uterine luminal fluid extracellular vesicles isolated from pregnant and cyclic ewes.
Project description:Oocyte competence is progressively acquired during follicle growth, with large follicles containing more often competent oocytes than small follicles. A competent oocyte is able to mature in vitro, be fertilized, and develop to the blastocyst stage. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) and their cargo micro RNAs (miRNAs) are critical in mediating intercellular communication inside the follicle and facilitating oocyte maturation. Whether follicular EVs are also involved in the acquisition of oocyte competence in the growing follicle remains unclear. Here, we have been using an individual culture system to distinguish follicular fluid and their corresponding bovine oocytes as competent or noncompetent. We used a qEV single-column method to isolate EVs from follicular fluid. RNA sequencing revealed 16 differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs in EVs from follicular fluid derived from either competent or noncompetent oocytes . Among the up-regulated miRNAs, we selected bta-miR-34c to further validate its effect on oocyte competence during in vitro maturation using mimics and inhibitors. By supplementing miR-34c mimics to the oocyte maturation medium, we could significantly improve blastocyst quality, as evidenced by higher cell numbers, while supplementation of miR-34c inhibitors produced the opposite effect. Taken together, the up-regulation of miR-34c in EVs derived from follicular fluid from competent oocytes is indicative of its regulatory role, and, when added during in vitro maturation of unselected oocytes, is able to increase total cell number and inner cell mass of resulting embryos, thus contributing to the development of healthy offspring
Project description:The follicular fluid (FF) fills the interior of ovarian antral follicle and provides the microenvironment for oocyte growth and acquisition of its competence to ovulate and latter support early embryo development. The FF is derived from both blood plasma and secretion of different types of follicular cells. It contains also extracellular vesicles (EVs), including exosomes, small membrane-coated EVs with 30-150 nm in diameter, which participate in cell-to cell communication and signaling by transferring their cargo of different types of RNAs, proteins and lipids into the oocyte or follicular cells. To date most studies have focused on studying the ffEVs miRNAs cargo and showing that miRNAs can influence oocyte competence and further embryo development. However, ffEVs protein cargo, which could have a direct contribution after being uptake by the oocyte or follicular cells have been less studies.
Project description:The goal of this experiment was to determine the RNA contents of extracellular vesicles isolated from 3-6mm bovine ovarian follicles.
Project description:To determine whether extracellular vesicles were also present in human disease, we isolated and evaluated extracellular vesicles from synovial fluid from normal and OA patients at relatively advanced ages (70 - 80 years). Here we report the altered expression of synovial fluid extracellular vesicles-derived miRNAs in osteoarthritis compared to normal patients with age-relate degeneration to investigate potential biomarkers for OA diagnosis. The OA donors had clinical evidence of OA based on pain that led to total joint arthroplasty.
Project description:A growing body of evidence in mammalian cells indicates that secreted vesicles can be used to mediate intercellular communication processes by transferring various bioactive molecules, including mRNAs and microRNAs. Based on these findings, we decided to analyze whether T. cruzi-derived extracellular vesicles contain RNA molecules and performed a deep sequencing and genome-wide analysis of a size-fractioned cDNA library (16M-bM-^@M-^S40 nt) from extracellular vesicles secreted by noninfective epimastigote and infective metacyclic trypomastigote forms. Our data show that the small RNAs contained in these extracellular vesicles originate from multiple sources, including tRNAs. In addition, our results reveal that the variety and expression of small RNAs are different between parasite stages, suggesting diverse functions. Taken together, these observations call attention to the potential regulatory functions that these RNAs might play once transferred between parasites and/or to mammalian host cells. Small RNAs profiles (16-40 nt) of epimastigote-derived extracellular vesicles, metacyclic trypomastigote-derived extracellular vesicles and metacyclic trypomastigote parental cells.