Characterization of surface and cargo of human adult astrocyte extracellular vesicles for development of brain liquid biopsy

The brain communicates with the rest of the body not only through nerves and hormones, but also via tiny particles called extracellular vesicles. These vesicles carry molecular information and circulate in body fluids such as blood, urine, and sweat, making them promising tools for studying brain health in a non-invasive way.

This doctoral research focuses on vesicles released by human brain astrocytes, a key cell type in the central nervous system. By analysing their molecular contents, including RNA and proteins, the study aims to understand how these vesicles are formed, what they carry, and how they could be used in future diagnostics.

The findings show that astrocyte-derived vesicles contain specific RNAs that are selectively packaged and linked to biological pathways involved in neurological diseases and cancer. The study also identifies potential surface markers that may help isolate brain-derived vesicles from complex body fluids.

Overall, this work provides new insight into how brain cells communicate with the body and highlights the potential of astrocyte-derived vesicles as a basis for developing new fluid-based diagnostic tools for brain-related conditions.