A magneto-activated nanoscale cytometry platform for molecular profiling of small extracellular vesicles

Nat Commun. 2023 Sep 11;14(1):5576. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-41285-8.

Abstract

Exosomal PD-L1 (exoPD-L1) has recently received significant attention as a biomarker predicting immunotherapeutic responses involving the PD1/PD-L1 pathway. However, current technologies for exosomal analysis rely primarily on bulk measurements that do not consider the heterogeneity found within exosomal subpopulations. Here, we present a nanoscale cytometry platform NanoEPIC, enabling phenotypic sorting and exoPD-L1 profiling from blood plasma. We highlight the efficacy of NanoEPIC in monitoring anti-PD-1 immunotherapy through the interrogation of exoPD-L1. NanoEPIC generates signature exoPD-L1 patterns in responders and non-responders. In mice treated with PD1-targeted immunotherapy, exoPD-L1 is correlated with tumor growth, PD-L1 burden in tumors, and the immune suppression of CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) with different PD-L1 expression levels display distinctive inhibitory effects on CD8 + T cells. NanoEPIC offers robust, high-throughput profiling of exosomal markers, enabling sEV subpopulation analysis. This platform holds the potential for enhanced cancer screening, personalized treatment, and therapeutic response monitoring.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • B7-H1 Antigen* / genetics
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes
  • Cell Movement
  • Extracellular Vesicles*
  • Immunosuppression Therapy
  • Mice

Substances

  • B7-H1 Antigen