A nanowire-based method for the stratification of extracellular vesicles and its application to disease diagnosis.

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21H01960
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 34020:Analytical chemistry-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology (2023); Nagoya University (2021-2022)
• Principal Investigator: Yasui Takao 東京工業大学, 生命理工学院, 教授 (00630584)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 細胞外小胞 / ナノワイヤ / 膜タンパク質 / microRNA

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Extracellular vesicles are known to contain nucleic acids, such as microRNAs, that regulate genes internally, as well as various membrane proteins on their surface. They act as carriers of information between cells and individuals, propagating signals throughout biological systems. This study advances the technology for capturing extracellular vesicles using nanowires and analyzing microRNAs. It proposes the concept of "comprehensive stratification of extracellular vesicles and microRNA function analysis," which involves function-based stratification of systematically captured extracellular vesicles. By systematically varying the parameters of the nanowires, stratification was achieved based on the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the extracellular vesicles. This approach was developed into a method for disease diagnosis based on extracellular vesicle analysis.

Free Research Field

生命化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、細胞外小胞の網羅的捕捉技術に層別化技術を付与し、既存技術の “一部の細胞外小胞の層別化” では見出すことが限定的であった、細胞外小胞の学理探求と疾病診断への展開を行うことを目的とした。その特徴的な成果として、がん患者の血清を用いて細胞外小胞の層別化とそこに内包されるmicroRNAの機能解析を行ったところ、細胞外小胞に内包されるmicroRNAは発がん性microRNAであることが明らかとなり、細胞外小胞microRNAによるがん早期検知技術へと繋がる成果が得られた。