Expression data from Human Saliva Exosomes

Exosomes are molecular entities derived from membrane vesicles of endocytic origin secreted by most cell types. These vesicles are implicated in cell-to-cell communication, deliver proteins and mRNA molecules between cells. Recent studies have shown that exosomes are found in body fluids such as saliva, blood, urine, amniotic fluid, malignant ascites, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, synovial fluids and breast milk. Exosomes secreted through human saliva contain mRNA may potentially be useful for diagnostic purposes. Although the exact protective mechanism of saliva RNA is a topic of debate, the consensus is that the enrichment of mRNAs in these nano-vesicles in one of the features of the biomarker discoveries. Our aim was to determine if exosomes are present in human saliva and to nano-characterize their transcriptomic content. Exosomes were purified by differential ultracentrifugation, identified by immunoelectron microscopy, flow cytometry and western blot using a CD-63 antibody. Atomic force microscopy studies revealed ultra structural analysis of both size and density of exosomes. Microarray analysis revealed the presence of 590 mRNA core transcripts are relatively stable inside the exosomes, which can be of saliva mRNA biomarkers. Exosomal mRNA stability was determined by detergent lyses with treatment of RNase. Under in vitro conditions fluorescent dye labeled saliva exosomes were able to communicate between human oral keratinocytes studied by using fluorescence microscopy. The RNA from saliva exosomes can transfer their genetic information to human oral keratinocytes and alters gene expression in the new location. Together, these results suggest that saliva is involved in mRNA trafficking via exosomes, and provides a mechanism for cargoing passenger mRNAs. Our findings are consistent with proposal that exosomes can shuttle RNAs between cells and mRNA is protected inside these vesicles may be a possible resource for biomarker discovery.

4