Extracellular vesicles

Byaibio

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-bound biological carriers that transport circulating ncRNAs and other cargo between cells, offering an alternative to direct cell-free analyte analysis with potential incremental clinical value. They are also implicated in intercellular mitochondrial transfer, including mitochondria-containing EVs as a cell-free therapeutic approach, and can carry proteins such as PKM2 from activated neurons to alveolar epithelial cells. In regenerative and disease settings, mesenchymal stem/stromal cell-derived EVs are being studied for diabetic kidney disease, while SIRPα-overexpressing EVs are engineered to target cd47 and block the tumor “don’t eat me” signal. Recent literature also highlights EVs as peripheral biomarker sources for autophagic flux, cellular senescence, cadmium-related lung toxicity, and smoking-dependent circulating non-coding biomarkers. Key tradeoffs noted for EV-based assays include differences in stability, background signal, and workflow complexity. Overall, EVs are a versatile technology platform spanning biomarker discovery, cell-free therapy, and immune engineering.

Biomarkers and liquid biopsy

  • EVs were discussed as a biological carrier compartment for circulating ncRNAs, with potential incremental clinical value over cell-free analysis. (PMID:41720438)
  • Peripheral sample types were proposed for biomarker assessment of autophagic flux and cellular senescence, supporting EV-enabled minimally invasive readouts. (PMID:41898514)
  • A multi-omics study in cadmium-related lung toxicity and carcinogenesis highlighted a biological matrix relevant to biomarker measurement. (PMID:41763445)
  • Smoking-dependent circulating non-coding biomarkers in lung cancer further support EV-associated biomarker applications. (PMID:41720438)

Regenerative medicine and cell-free therapy

  • Mesenchymal stem/stromal cell-derived EVs are commonly studied as a cellular therapy approach in diabetic kidney disease. (PMID:41581730)
  • Mitochondria-containing EVs were described as a cell-free therapeutic approach, extending EV use beyond nucleic-acid delivery. (PMID:41955327)
  • Platelet-released vesicular carriers can enclose mitochondria, reinforcing the role of EVs in mitochondrial transfer biology. (PMID:41955328)
  • EVs were described as one pathway for mitochondrial transfer between cells, linking them to intercellular organelle trafficking. (PMID:41955327)

Cancer and immunotherapy

  • SIRPα-overexpressing EVs co-released from an implantable system were designed to target cd47 and mask the tumor “don’t eat me” signal. (PMID:41957823)
  • A 2026 Journal of Nanobiotechnology study on 3D-printed implantable CAR-macrophages included SIRPα-EVs as part of the post-surgery cancer immunotherapy platform. (PMID:41957823)
  • Gut microbiome mechanisms were discussed as modulators of immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy in colorectal cancer, providing broader context for EV-linked biomarker and therapeutic strategies. (PMID:41981741)

Neurologic and lung injury signaling

  • EVs carrying PKM2 from activated neurons circulate in blood and deliver PKM2 to alveolar epithelial cells, linking EV trafficking to post-stroke lung injury. (PMID:41707616)
  • The PKM2 EV pathway was reported in a 2026 Redox Biology study to promote FOXO3A/TXNIP mitochondria translocation in mice. (PMID:41707616)
  • This mechanism connects EV-mediated protein transport with downstream mitochondrial signaling and organ injury. (PMID:41707616)