Exosomes carry cell type-specific molecular cargo to extracellular destinations and therefore act as lateral vectors of intercellular communication and transfer of genetic information from one cell to the other. We have shown previously that the small heat shock protein αB-crystallin (αB) is exported out of the adult human retinal pigment epithelial cells (ARPE19) packaged in exosomes. Here, we...

A key function of human eosinophils is to secrete cytokines, chemokines and cationic proteins, trafficking, and releasing these mediators for roles in inflammation and other immune responses. Eosinophil activation leads to secretion of pre-synthesized granule-stored mediators through different mechanisms, but the ability of eosinophils to secrete extracellular vesicles (EVs), very small vesicle...

Exosomes are extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted upon fusion of endosomal multivesicular bodies (MVBs) with the plasma membrane. The mechanisms involved in their biogenesis have not yet been fully identified although they could be used to modulate exosome formation and therefore are a promising tool in understanding exosome functions. We have performed an RNA interference screen targeting 23 ...

BACKGROUND Cat allergen is widely distributed in homes and schools; allergic sensitization is common. OBJECTIVE To develop a model of cat allergen nasal challenge to establish dose-response and time-course characteristics and investigate local and systemic biomarkers of allergic inflammation. METHODS Nineteen cat-allergic individuals underwent titrated nasal challenge, range 0.243 to 14.6 μ...

Aminopeptidase N (APN)/CD13 is a transmembrane ectopeptidase expressed on a wide variety of cells. However, the precise function of APN/CD13 in tumor cells and the relationship of APN/CD13 to thyroid cancer remain unclear. In our study, we quantified the expression of APN/CD13 and additionally dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPIV)/CD26 in thyroid carcinoma cell lines and in tissues of patients with th...

BACKGROUND Exosomes are one of the several types of cell-derived vesicles with a diameter of 30-100 nm. These extracellular vesicles are recognized as potential markers of human diseases such as cancer. However, their use in diagnostic tests requires an objective and high-throughput method to define their phenotype and determine their concentration in biological fluids. To identify circulating ...

Simple collagen-related peptides (CRPs) containing a repeat Gly-Pro-Hyp sequence are highly potent platelet agonists. Like collagen, they must exhibit tertiary (triple-helical) and quaternary (polymeric) structure to activate platelets. Platelet signaling events induced by the peptides are the same as most of those induced by collagen. The peptides do not recognize the alpha 2 beta 1 integrin. ...

Platelet activation leads to secretion of granule contents and to the formation of microvesicles by shedding of membranes from the cell surface. Recently, we have described small internal vesicles in multivesicular bodies (MVBs) and alpha-granules, and suggested that these vesicles are secreted during platelet activation, analogous to the secretion of vesicles termed exosomes by other cell type...