Effects of electric fields on the release and content of extracellular vesicles

Abstract

Effects of electric fields on the release and content of extracellular vesicles Wang Y, Worrell GA, Wang HL. Effects of electric fields on the release and content of extracellular vesicles. J Extracell Biol. 2024 Nov 29;3(11):e70018. doi: 10.1002/jex2.70018. Abstract Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small membrane-bound structures that originate from various cell types and carry molecular cargos to influence the behaviour of recipient cells. The use of EVs as biomarkers for diagnosis and as delivery vehicles for treatment in a wide range of human disease is a rapidly growing field in research and clinical practice. We hypothesized that electric fields (EFs) could influence the release and content of EVs. To examine this hypothesis, we developed a specialized bioreactor enabling cells to thrive in a three-dimensional setting, replicating in-vivo conditions amidst programmable EF environments. We established a three-step EV purification protocol to achieve high-density production of EVs. We also performed mass spectrometry-based proteomics analysis on EV-carrying proteins and used high-resolution nanoparticle flowcytometry for single-vesicle analysis. Findings from this report suggest that electrical stimulation, employing physiologically relevant amplitudes typical in therapeutic deep brain stimulation, influences the release of EVs and their cargo content in a frequency-dependent fashion. This conclusion could carry significant implications for both fundamental biological understanding and medical advancements. First, it raises an intriguing question about how the endogenous electrical activity of neuronal and other cellular assemblies influence the production and composition of EVs. Second, it reveals a novel underlying mechanism of how therapeutic electrical stimulations can modulate EVs and treat human brain disorders. Third, it provides a novel approach to utilize electrical stimulation for generating desired EV cargos in a programmable setting. Open access paper: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

AI evidence extraction

Main findings

Using a specialized 3D bioreactor with programmable electric field environments, the authors report that electrical stimulation at physiologically relevant amplitudes typical of therapeutic deep brain stimulation influenced EV release and EV cargo content in a frequency-dependent manner.

Outcomes measured

• Extracellular vesicle (EV) release
• EV cargo/protein content (mass spectrometry-based proteomics)
• Single-vesicle characteristics (high-resolution nanoparticle flow cytometry)

Limitations

• No specific electric field parameters (e.g., field strength, waveform, frequencies) are provided in the abstract
• No sample size or number of experiments is stated in the abstract
• Cell type(s) studied are not specified in the abstract
• Duration of exposure/stimulation is not described in the abstract
• Outcomes are described generally; quantitative effect sizes and statistical details are not provided in the abstract

Suggested hubs

• occupational-exposure (0.15)
  Mentions therapeutic deep brain stimulation-like electrical stimulation; not occupational, but relates to applied electrical stimulation exposure contexts.

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    },
    "population": null,
    "sample_size": null,
    "outcomes": [
        "Extracellular vesicle (EV) release",
        "EV cargo/protein content (mass spectrometry-based proteomics)",
        "Single-vesicle characteristics (high-resolution nanoparticle flow cytometry)"
    ],
    "main_findings": "Using a specialized 3D bioreactor with programmable electric field environments, the authors report that electrical stimulation at physiologically relevant amplitudes typical of therapeutic deep brain stimulation influenced EV release and EV cargo content in a frequency-dependent manner.",
    "effect_direction": "mixed",
    "limitations": [
        "No specific electric field parameters (e.g., field strength, waveform, frequencies) are provided in the abstract",
        "No sample size or number of experiments is stated in the abstract",
        "Cell type(s) studied are not specified in the abstract",
        "Duration of exposure/stimulation is not described in the abstract",
        "Outcomes are described generally; quantitative effect sizes and statistical details are not provided in the abstract"
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "low",
    "confidence": 0.66000000000000003108624468950438313186168670654296875,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "unknown",
    "keywords": [
        "electric fields",
        "electrical stimulation",
        "deep brain stimulation",
        "extracellular vesicles",
        "EV release",
        "proteomics",
        "nanoparticle flow cytometry",
        "bioreactor",
        "frequency-dependent"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": [
        {
            "slug": "occupational-exposure",
            "weight": 0.1499999999999999944488848768742172978818416595458984375,
            "reason": "Mentions therapeutic deep brain stimulation-like electrical stimulation; not occupational, but relates to applied electrical stimulation exposure contexts."
        }
    ]
}

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