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Hot EVs - how temperature affects extracellular vesicles.

Schulz, Eilien,Karagianni, Anna,Koch, Marcus,Fuhrmann, Gregor

Abstract

In recent years, extracellular vesicles (EVs) and outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) have become an extensive and diverse field of research. They hold potential as diagnostic markers, therapeutics and for fundamental biological understanding. Despite ongoing studies, numerous information regarding function, content and stability of EVs remains unclear. If EVs and OMVs ought to be used as therapeutics and in clinical environments, their stability is one of the most important factors to be considered. Especially for formulation development, EVs and OMVs need to be stable at higher temperatures. To the best of our knowledge, very little work has been published regarding heat stability of neither EVs nor OMVs. In the present study, we investigated B lymphoblastoid cell-derived EVs and OMVs derived from myxobacterial species Sorangiineae as model vesicles. We exposed the vesicles to 37 °C, 50 °C, 70 °C and 100 °C for 1 h, 6 h and 24 h, and also autoclaved them. Interestingly, physico-chemical analyses such as size, particle concentration and protein concentration showed minor alterations, particularly at 37 °C. Flow cytometry analysis emphasised these results suggesting that after heat impact, EVs and OMVs were still able to be taken up by macrophage-like dTHP-1 cells. These data indicate that both mammalian and bacterial vesicles show intrinsic stability at physiological temperature. Our findings are important to consider for vesicle formulation and for advanced bioengineering approaches.

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Ho EVs – how empe a u e a ec s ex acellula esicles Eilien Schulz 1,2, Anna Ka agianni 1, Ma cus Koch 3, G ego Fuh mann 1,2* 1 Biogenic Nano he apeu ics G oup (BION), Helmhol z Cen e o In ec ion Resea ch (HZI), Helmhol z Ins i u e o Pha maceu ical Resea ch Saa land (HIPS), Campus E8.1, Saa b ücken 66123, Ge many 2 Depa men o Pha macy, Saa land Uni e si y, Campus E8.1, Saa b ücken 66123, Ge many 3 INM – Leibniz Ins i u e o New Ma e ials, Campus D2.2, Saa b ücken 66123, Ge many *Co esponding au ho , phone: +49 68198806 1500, Email: [email p o ec ed] ORCID IDs: Eilien Schulz: 0000-0002-9769-8980, Anna Ka agianni: 0000-0002-0831-1247, G ego Fuh mann: 0000-0002-6688-5126 Keywo ds: ex acellula esicles, ou e memb ane esicles, lymphoblas oid cells, myxobac e ia, d ug ca ie s, low cy ome y, hea s abili y, au ocla ing ABSTRACT In ecen yea s, ex acellula esicles (EVs) and ou e memb ane esicles (OMVs) ha e become an ex ensi e and di e se ield o esea ch. They hold po en ial as diagnos ic ma ke s, he apeu ics and o undamen al biological unde s anding. Despi e ongoing s udies, nume ous in o ma ion ega ding unc ion, con en and s abili y o EVs emains unclea . I EVs and OMVs ough o be used as he apeu ics and in clinical en i onmen s, hei s abili y is one o he mos impo an ac o s o be conside ed. Especially o o mula ion de elopmen , EVs and OMVs need o be s able a highe empe a u es. To he bes o ou knowledge, e y li le wo k has been published ega ding hea s abili y o nei he EVs no OMVs. In he p esen s udy, we in es iga ed B lymphoblas oid cell- de i ed EVs and OMVs de i ed om myxobac e ial species So angiineae as model esicles. We exposed he esicles o 37 °C, 50 °C, 70 °C and 100 °C o 1 h, 6 h and 24 h, and also au ocla ed hem. Physico-chemical analysis such as size, pa icle concen a ion and p o ein concen a ion showed in e es ingly mino al e a ions, pa icula ly a 37 °C. Flow cy ome y analysis emphasised hese esul s sugges ing ha a e hea impac , EVs and OMVs we e s ill able o be aken up by mac ophage-like dTHP-1 cells. These da a indica e ha bo h mammalian and bac e ial esicles show in insic s abili y a physiological empe a u e. Ou indings a e impo an o conside o esicle o mula ion and o ad anced bioenginee ing app oaches. 1. In oduc ion Ou e memb ane esicles (OMVs) we e i s men ioned 50 yea s ago in 1967, as Cha e jee e al de ec ed pa icles in p oximi y o Vib io chole a memb anes in elec on mic oscopy images (1). A ew yea s la e , in 1983 Pan e al. we e he i s ones o obse e ex acellula esicles (EVs), while hey moni o ed a ans e in ecep o in sheep (2). Since hen, his a ea o esea ch has expanded ex ensi ely. Bo h, EVs and OMVs a e nano-sized phospholipid bilaye ed assemblies and se e as anspo ehicles o cell-cell communica ion (3). Thei s uc u e and su ace is, in mos cases, compa able o hei cellula o igin and consis s o ecep o s, p o eins o o OMVs lipopolysaccha ides (4, 5). Con en s may a y, bu gene ally imply nucleic acid, p o eins and seconda y me aboli es, such as oxins o compounds ha a e o en unique o hei o igin (4-6). EVs ha e been isola ed om a la ge a ie y o cells de i ed om he immune sys em, di e en issues o he ne ous sys em (3). OMVs, on he o he hand ha e been isola ed om almos all known g am- nega i e bac e ia (7). Bo h, EVs and OMVs hold po en ial o he de elopmen o new he apeu ics. They ha e al eady been applied in issue epai , neu odegene a i e diso de s and cance he apy (8). Fo example, EVs de i ed om mesenchymal s em cells ha e p e iously eached clinical ials as no el he apeu ics o unc ional eco e y a e ischemic s okes (9). OMVs, on he o he hand ha e been s udied o accina ion, as d ug deli e y sys ems agains cance (10) o in ec ions (11). Di e en ou es o EV applica ion ha e been es ablished, ei he as in a enous suspensions o inco po a ed in o hyd ogels, o example o enzyme p od ug he apy (12, 13). Al hough many p o ocols ha e been es ablished conce ning esicle isola ion, he empe a u e s abili y o EVs and OMVs has no been s udied comp ehensi ely. Some publica ions analysed s o age condi ions o EV suspensions, while we and o he s ha e ecen ly in oduced a eeze-d ying me hod using c yo-p o ec an s (14-16). To ou knowledge, e y li le is known o da e conce ning he s abili y o EVs and OMVs a inc easing empe a u es. Lee e al. s udied he s abili y o EVs om Kaposi's sa coma-associa ed he pes i us- in ec ed human endo helial cells and ound ha e en a e 4 days he pa icle concen a ion o samples incuba ed a 37 °C did no al e (17). Mo eo e , Cheng e al de e mined he pa icle concen a ion o EVs a 37 °C and a 60 °C, esul ing only in mino physical changes (18). Howe e , i is essen ial o es ima e he hea s abili y o EVs and OMVs in a mo e comp ehensi e manne , as i will help o e alua e hei clinical and pha maceu ical applicabili y. In e ms o pha maceu ical applicabili y, hea will also play a ole du ing sp ay d ying (19) o in he chemical modi ica ion o a ach a ge ing moie ies (20). In addi ion, o unde s and he biological ole o EVs, highe empe a u es could be necessa y. As ex acellula esicles a e o en comp ised o phospholipids, such as phospha idylcholine, sphingomyelin and phospha idylse ine, hey a e simila in s uc u e compa ed o liposomes (21). Hea -induced usion o EVs wi h liposomes may also be bene icial o o m new biocompa ible nanoca ie s (22). Fo in a enous injec ion, EVs need o be s e ile as an asep ic p oduc ion is no always possible. S e ilisa ion me hods such as il a ion may esul in a loss o sample, leading o concen a ion issues (23). P essu ised sa u a ed s eam s e ilisa ion, au ocla ing may be con enien and quick, bu po en ially ha sh me hod o ob ain s e ile esicles o clinical applica ions. He e, we used EVs de i ed om B lymphoblas oid cells (RO cells). They a e a well-de ined and comme cially a ailable cell line ob ained om a pa ien wi h se e e combined immunode iciency, no exp essing MHC class II complexes (24, 25). Thus, RO cell de i ed EVs may be low in immunogenici y. The cells can be g own in suspension and, he e o e can be easily cul i a ed e en in la ge quan i ies. We also es ablished a me hod o cul i a e RO cells in a low space consuming manne . As a second model esicle we s udied OMVs de i ed om he myxobac e ial s ain SBS 073. Myxobac e ia a e g am-nega i e, soil li ing bac e ia, ha a e p oduce o a la ge a ie y o seconda y me aboli es (26). We ecen ly showed ha SBS 073 OMVs a e non- oxic o human cells and ha e he po en ial o be u he de eloped as a d ug ca ie sys em (11). As myxobac e ia a e ound in a ious en i onmen s including dese s (27), we hypo hesised ha he OMVs hey p oduce may be mo e esis an o high empe a u es compa ed o human EVs, which a e adap ed o a body empe a u e o 37 °C. 2. Ma e ials and Me hods 2.1. Cell cul u e B lymphoblas oid cells (RO cells) (DSMZ, ACC 452, B aunschweig, Ge many) we e cul u ed in T75 lasks wi h an ini ial seeding densi y o 0.75*106 cells/mL. A e hawing cells, hey we e g own in RPMI (Gibco) wi h 15% ( / ) oe al cal e se um (FCS) (25). Be o e EV isola ion, RPMI wi h 10% ( / ) insulin- ans e in-selenium-e hanolamine (The mo Fische ) was used. Cul u es s a ed wi h a olume o 45 mL in an up igh posi ion. A e 3 days, 25 mL supe na an was emo ed and eplaced wi h 50 mL esh medium. Ano he subsequen 4 days la e , 50 mL supe na an was emo ed o EV isola ion. Supe na an s we e s o ed a -80 °C up o 2 mon hs. Cells we e used un il passage 40. THP-1 cells we e cul i a ed in RPMI wi h 10 % ( / ) FCS. Al e na ing, cells we e seeded wi h an ini ial densi y o 2 o 3 million cells and cul i a ed o 3 o 4 days. 2.2. Mic obial cul u e SBS 073 myxobac e ia (kindly p o ided by Rol Mülle , Depa men o Mic obial Na u al P oduc s, Helmhol z Ins i u e o Pha maceu ical Resea ch, Saa b ücken) we e cul i a ed as desc ibed p e iously (11), in 2SWT medium (0.3% (m/ ) bac o yp one, 0.1% (m/ ) soy one, 0.2% (m/ ) glucose, 0.2% (m/ ) soluble s a ch, 0.1% (m/ ) mal ose monohyd a e, 0.2% (m/ ) cellobiose, 0.05% (m/ ) CaCl2*2H2O, 0.1% (m/ ) MgSO4*7H2O and 10mM HEPES, pH 7.0 adjus ed wi h KOH). The bac e ial suspension was cul i a ed a 30 °C and shaken a 180 pm (Eco on, In o s HT, Bo mingen, Swi ze land) o one week un il OMV isola ion. As his s ain o ms agg ega es, i was no possible o de e mine a g ow h cu e based nei he on op ical densi y measu emen s, no on colony o ming uni coun ing (11). OMVs we e isola ed om cul u es cul i a ed un il passage 6. 2.3. Isola ion and pu i ica ion o EVs and OMVs Fi y millili es o RO supe na an we e i s cen i uged a 300 × g o 8 min o emo e cells. Fo y millili e we e hen ans e ed o a new ube and cen i uged a 9,500 × g o 15 min. SBS 073 supe na an was i s cen i uged a 9,500 × g o 10 min o emo e bac e ia (28). Fo y millili e o his supe na an we e cen i uged, a 9,500 × g o 15 min. Bo h samples we e hen ul acen i uged a 100,000 × g o 2 h a 4 °C (Ro o SW 32 Ti, Beckman Coul e , B ea, USA) (29). Pelle s we e esuspended in ei he 400 µL phospha e bu e ed saline (PBS, Gibco PBS able s wi hou calcium, magnesium and phenol ed) o , in case o RO EVs, in 500 µL cell cul u e supe na an . Vesicles we e pu i ied by size exclusion ch oma og aphy, using a 30 mL (SBS 073 OMVs) o a 10 mL (RO EVs) sepha ose CL-2B (GE Li e Science, Uni ed Kingdom) column, collec ing 1 mL ac ions wi h PBS as elu ion bu e . 2.4. Physico-chemical cha ac e isa ion o EVs and OMVs Nanopa icle T acking Analysis (NTA LM-10, Mal e n, Mal e n, Uni ed Kingdom) was used o de e mine pa icle concen a ions and hei hyd odynamic diame e (30). Samples we e dilu ed up o 1000 old in o de o ha e a concen a ion o 10 o 100 pa icles pe ame. A 30 s ideo a a came a le el o 14 o 15 was eco ded 3 imes be o e he pa icle concen a ion was calcula ed by NanoSigh 3.3 so wa e wi h a de ec ion h eshold o 5. A bicinchoninic assay ki (Sigma Ald ich) was used o quan i y p o ein concen a ions o each sample in duplica es, acco ding o he manu ac u e ’s speci ica ions be o e and a e hea ea men . To quan i y he o al p o ein con en in esicles, 25 µL o RIPA bu e (50 mM T ic-HCl, 150 mM NaCl, 0,5% deoxycholic acid, 1% NP-40, 0,1% sodium- dodecyl-sul a e) we e incuba ed wi h 75 µL o sample o 5 min be o e ano he bicinchoninic assay was pe o med. 2.5. Hea es ing The wo SEC ac ions wi h he highes pa icle concen a ion we e pooled ( inal olume 2 mL), ans e ed o glass con aine s, ai igh sealed wi h caps and used o hea expe imen s. Samples we e incuba ed in an incuba o (Memme UN 75, Schwabach, Ge many) wi h a cons an empe a u e o 37 °C, 50 °C, 70 °C o 100 °C. A e 1 h, 6 h and 24 h e apo a ed wa e was measu ed by weigh di e ence, eplaced and samples we e used o u he expe imen s. To au ocla e esicles, hey we e injec ed in o b own glass con aine s wi h ubbe plugs and sealed wi h me al caps (Zscheile & Klinge GmbH, Hambu g, Ge many) and hea ed up o 121 °C o 20 min a 2 ba . The empe a u e o a wa e con ol wi h he same olume was used. Acco ding o he Eu opean Pha macopoeia, his me hod is one o he ecommended me hods o s e ilisa ion (31). To es s e ili y, 100 µL o au ocla ed samples we e incuba ed on lysogeny b o h aga pla es (Sigma Ald ich) o 4 days a 37 °C. 2.6. Elec on mic oscopy To pe o m c yogen elec on c yomic oscopy, esicles we e concen a ed using cen i ugal il e s (Ul acel YM – 30) un il one-hund ed h o olume was le . Th ee mic oli e s o his solu ion was placed on o a holey ca bon ilm ( ype S147-4, Plano, We zla , Ge many) and plo ed o 2s wi h a Ga an ((Pleasan on, CA, US) c yoplunge model CP3, be o e plunging in o liquid e hane a T = 108 K. Unde liquid ni ogen, esicles we e ans e ed o a Ga an model 914 c yo-TEM sample holde . A T = 100 K samples we e imaged ia b igh ield TEM (JEM-2100 LaB6, Jeol, Akishima, Tokio, Japan) unde low-dose condi ions. 2.7. FACS analysis o THP-1 wi h esicles OMVs and EVs we e s ained wi h 2 µL o DiI (Vyb an DiI Cell-labelling solu ion 1 mM) o 15 min a 37 °C. A size exclusion ch oma og aphy wi h sepha ose CL-2B was pe o med o emo e non- inco po a ed dye. Fluo escence in ensi y (λEx/ λEm 490/570 nm) was measu ed o each sample. The ac ion wi h he highes in ensi y was used o u he expe imen s. I is impo an o men ion, ha au ocla ed samples had o be cen i uged o 2.5 min a 9,500 × g in o de o emo e dye agg ega es induced by hea and p essu e. THP-1 (DSMZ, ACC16, B aunschweig, Ge many) we e seeded in o 48 well pla es wi h a densi y o 200,000 cells pe well. THP-1 we e s imula ed wi h 7.5 ng/mL pho bol 12-my is a e 13-ace a e (PMA) (Sigma Ald ich) o 24 h, o s imula e he di e en ia ion o mac ophage like dTHP-1. A e wa ds cells we e incuba ed wi h 100 µL o each esicle sample o 24 h, esul ing in a a io 2.5 × 105 RO EVs and 1 × 106 SBS 073 OMVs pe cell. Two washing s eps wi h PBS we e ca ied ou be o e cells we e incuba ed wi h accu ase solu ion (Sigma Ald ich) o 20 min a RT o de ach he cells. Fou wells we e pooled o pe o m one low cy ome y (FACS) (LSRFo essa X- 20, BD) analysis. Cells incuba ed wi h 100 µL PBS se ed as con ol. A ed lase a 561 nm (PE phycoe y h in) was used o de ec DiI labelling. Ten housand e en s pe sample acqui ed by BD FACSDi a 8.0.2, we e analysed wi h FlowJo so wa e e sion 7.6.5. 2.8. Con ocal imaging S imula ed THP-1 (see 2.8.) wi h a densi y o 200,000 cells pe well, we e incuba ed wi h 100 µL o each DiI labelled EV o OMV sample in an 8 well chambe pla e (SPL Li e Science) o 24 h. A e emo ing he supe na an , cells we e s ained wi h luo escein labelled whea ge m agglu inin (Vec o labo a o ies) o 15 min a 37 °C. Subsequen ly, cells we e ixed wi h 3.7 % ( / ) pa a o maldehyde o 20 min a oom empe a u e (RT). Nucleus s aining was pe o med using a 1 µg/mL 4′,6- Diamidino-2-phenylindole dihyd ochlo ide (DAPI) (Sigma Ald ich) solu ion (32). Fo con ocal imaging (Leica TCS SB8) a 488 nm lase was used o isualise luo escein, a 405 nm lase o DAPI and a 561 nm lase o DiI. Leica Applica ion Sui e X so wa e was used o p ocess he images. 2.9. S a is ical analysis All da a is epo ed in mean (x) and s anda d de ia ion (SD), whe e n indica es he numbe o independen expe imen s. S a is ical analysis was pe o med by SigmaPlo 14.0 using One-way ANOVA , ollowed by a Tukey pos -hoc es , o compa e he di e en g oups. Signi ican p- alues we e s a ed as * o p < 0.05, ** o p < 0.01 o wi h he exac p- alue. 3. Resul s and Discussion 3.1. Hea -induced physico-chemical al e a ion o esicles In his wo k, we analysed he hea s abili y o wo di e en ypes o esicles, EVs de i ed om B lymphoblas oid RO cells and OMVs de i ed om he myxobac e ial s ain SBS 073. Fo his, he esicles we e isola ed, pu i ied and incuba ed a 37 °C, 50 °C, 70 °C and 100 °C o 1 h, 6 h and 24 h. The size o EVs and OMVs emained cons an a 37 °C, e en a e 24 h. Ye , a highe empe a u es o 50°C, 70 °C and 100 °C small changes we e de ec ed (Fig. 1 a,d). The pa icle concen a ion o RO EVs dec eased he highe and longe he samples we e incuba ed. The mos d as ically change was de ec ed a 100 °C, when pa icle concen a ions dec eased almos en old (Fig. 1 b). SBS 073 OMVs also showed a s ong pa icle concen a ion dec ease a e 24 h a 100 °C wi h a emaining 36% (Fig. 1 e). Con ibu ing o his, he size dis ibu ion o esicles ea ed a 37 °C o 24 h showed simila ends compa ed o hei con ols (Fig. 2 a,c), whe eas he 100 °C samples showed s onge a ia ions (Fig. 2 b, d). I one looks a he p o ein concen a ion, he e again, high empe a u es und longe incuba ions imes esul ed in physico-chemical al e a ion. Especially RO EVs showed an inc ease o ca. 140 % o p o ein concen a ion a e 24 h a 100 °C (Fig. 1 c). In con as , he p o ein concen a ion o SBS 073 samples emained ela i ely cons an , e en a high empe a u es. We hypo hesise, ha he dec ease o he pa icle concen a ion is due o a dis up ion o he esicles hemsel es, leading o a elease o encapsula ed p o eins and hus an inc ease o p o ein concen a ion. The highe he empe a u e, he less s able he esicles we e and he leakie hese nanos uc u es became. Ne e heless, o bo h, pa icle and p o ein concen a ion, RO EVs al e ed mo e d as ically compa ed o SBS 073 OMVs, sugges ing a highe physico-chemical s abili y o bac e ia de i ed esicles. Con ibu ing o his e ec is he common en i onmen bo h ypes o esicles can be ound in. As he o igin o RO EVs is he human body, which is main ained a 37 °C, hey a e mo e likely s able a 37 °C. SBS 073 OMVs, howe e , a e de i ed om myxobac e ia, a g am-nega i e popula ion ha has been adap ed o a ious en i onmen s, om he sou h pole and opical ain o es s o dese s (27). In o de o su i e, one o hei communica ion ools, hei OMVs need o be s able in hose ha sh condi ions. I is he e o e likely, ha he OMVs a e mo e s able han he EVs. Fig 1 Physico-chemical al e a ion a e incuba ion a 37 °C, 50 °C, 70 °C, 100 °C o 1 h, 6 h and 24 h. a) RO EV size dis ibu ion be o e and a e 24 h a 37 °C b) RO EV size dis ibu ion be o e and a e 24 h a 100 °C c) RO EV no malised pa icle concen a ion measu ed by NTA d) RO EV no malised p o ein concen a ion de e mined ia BCA e) SBS 073 OMV dis ibu ion be o e and a e 24 h a 37 °C ) SBS 073 OMV size dis ibu ion be o e and a e 24 h a 100 °C g) SBS 073 OMV no malised pa icle concen a ion h) SBS 073 OMV no malised p o ein concen a ion. Mean ± SD, n = 3, *p < 0.05 (ANOVA ollowed by Tukey pos -hoc es ). Samples we e no malised o pa icle and p o ein concen a ions be o e he hea ea men . The dashed line indica es he a e age alue o all samples a ime poin 0 h. Fig 2 Rep esen a i e size dis ibu ion be o e and a e incuba ion a 37 °C, 100 °C o 24 h. a) RO EV size dis ibu ion a e 24 h a 37 °C b) RO EV size dis ibu ion a e 24 h a 100 °C c) SBS 073 OMV size dis ibu ion a e 24 h 37 °C d) SBS 073 OMV size dis ibu ion a e 24 h a 100 °C. 3.2. Impac o au ocla ing on esicles Au ocla ed samples showed compa able esul s o samples incuba ed a 100 °C. As seen in Figu e 3, pa icle concen a ions dec eased while p o ein concen a ions inc eased. The mean size inc eased sligh ly, and he size dis ibu ion became b oade (Fig. 3 a, b). Howe e , he e again, he elease o p o eins o OMV samples was no as s ong as he p o ein elease o EVs (Fig. 3 c, ). Fig 3 Physico-chemical al e a ion o RO EVs and SBS 073 OMVs a e au ocla ing. a) RO EV size dis ibu ion b) RO EV no malised pa icle concen a ion c) RO EV no malised p o ein concen a ion d) SBS 073 size dis ibu ion e) SBS 073 OMV no malised pa icle concen a ion ) SBS 073 OMV no malised p o ein concen a ion. Samples we e no malised o pa icle and p o ein concen a ions be o e au ocla ing. Mean ± SD, n = 3 The al e a ion o he mo phology o he esicles due o he physico-chemical changes we e also in es iga ed by c yogenic elec on mic oscopy (c yo-EM). By using c yo-EM we also wan ed o e i y he bulk size measu emen s de e mined by NTA. As shown in Figu e 4 he lipid bilaye o he esicles was clea ly isible and in ac (whi e a ows). Sizes de e mined by c yo-EM indica ed smalle diame e s compa ed o da a collec ed by NTA. Indeed, NTA u ilises B ownian mo ion o calcula e he hyd odynamic diame e o pa icles and has a de ec ion limi o 10 nm wi h low sensi i i y (33). This may lead o enla ged pa icle sizes compa ed o c yo-EM imaging, whe e samples a e mos likely isualised in hei na i e s a e. As pu i ying wi h a size exclusion s ep dilu ed samples, we concen a ed hem using cen i ugal il e s and compa ed hem wi h esuspended pelle s a e ul acen i uga ion. We no iced ha su icien concen a ions o esicles a e c ucial in o de o isualise hem and ha esul s conduc ed by NTA o en leads o an o e es ima ion o sample