Cells (May 2024)

Altered Extracellular Vesicle-Derived Protein and microRNA Signatures in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid from Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

  • Sabine Bartel,
  • Justina C. Wolters,
  • Hasnat Noor,
  • Karim Rafie,
  • Jiahua Fang,
  • Benedikt Kirchner,
  • Esther Nolte-′t Hoen,
  • Michael W. Pfaffl,
  • Steven Rutgers,
  • Wim Timens,
  • Maarten van den Berge,
  • Machteld N. Hylkema

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/cells13110945
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 11
p. 945

Abstract

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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive lung disease for which there is no cure. Accumulating research results suggest a role for extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the pathogenesis of COPD. This study aimed to uncover the involvement of EVs and their molecular cargo in the progression of COPD by identification of EV-associated protein and microRNA (miRNA) profiles. We isolated EVs from the bronchial alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of 18 patients with COPD and 11 healthy controls using size-exclusion chromatography. EV isolates were characterized using nanoparticle tracking analysis and protein content. Proteomic analysis revealed a higher abundance of 284 proteins (log2FC > 1) and a lower abundance of 3 proteins (log2FC 100, FDR < 0.05). Our data indicate that the molecular composition of EVs in the BALF of patients with COPD is altered compared to healthy control EVs. Several components in COPD EVs were identified that may perpetuate inflammation and alveolar tissue destruction.

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