Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have potential biomedical applications, particularly as a means of transport for therapeutic agents. There is a need for rapid and efficient EV-liposome membrane fusion that maintains the integrity of hybrid EVs. We recently described Sf9 insect cell-derived EVs on which functional membrane proteins were presented using a baculovirus-expression system. Here, we developed hybrid EVs by membrane fusion of small liposomes and EVs equipped with baculoviral fusogenic proteins. Single-particle analysis of EV-liposome complexes revealed controlled introduction of liposome components into EVs. Our findings and methodology will support further applications of EV engineering in biomedicine.
Keywords: baculovirus-expression system; extracellular vesicle; liposome; membrane fusion; single-particle analysis; viral fusogenic protein.
© 2022 The Authors. FEBS Open Bio published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Federation of European Biochemical Societies.