Endocrine Abstracts

In the last decade, cell-secreted extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been isolated from most of the fluids of the body. There are many different types of EVs that include different subpopulations of exosomes, microvesicles and apoptotic bodies, all of them varying in size, composition and intracellular origin. Many laboratories around the world have shown that its composition of lipids, proteins, messenger and micro RNAs is cell-type specific, and subject to changes in pathological scenarios, consequently these vesicles are being actively studied as a source to identify disease biomarkers. Metabolic syndrome is a clinical condition affecting up to 25% of all adults worldwide. It influences many cellular systems including adipose tissue, macrophages and hepatocytes compromising most of the time the hepatic function that is essential for homeostasis of the organism. Apart of metabolic syndrome, liver injury ranging from mild infection to life-threatening liver failure constitute by itself a serious worldwide health issue. Consequently, a major goal in liver pathology is the identification of molecular markers for its early detection, i.e. before clinical manifestations are produced. In this context, by applying metabolomics, proteomics and transcriptomics technologies as well as specific biochemical tools, our group is studying the physiological role of extracellular vesicles in the hepatic function in normal and pathological conditions to identify novel low-invasive markers for liver injury. During last years, our group has demonstrated that hepatocytes are able to secrete exosomes-like vesicles enriched in metabolic enzymes. Now, we are currently achieving a thorough qualitative and quantitative analysis by proteomics, transcriptomics and metabolomics of extracellular vesicles secreted by hepatocytes obtained from experimental models of drug-induced liver injury and metabolic syndrome. Our work provides a repertoire of low invasive candidate markers to evaluate hepatic function in a low invasive manner. Furthermore, our results also support a physiological role of hepatic exosomes in different patho-physiological processes.