Elucidation of the interaction of exosome surface glycans and target cells

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K13029
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Biomedical engineering/Biomaterial science and engineering
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Shimoda Asako 京都大学, 工学研究科, 特定研究員 (90712042)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 細胞外微粒子 / エクソソーム / 糖鎖 / レクチンアレイ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Glycans, which are mainly present on cell surfaces, play important biological roles including cell attachment, differentiation, cancer metastasis, infection, and molecular recognition. Exosomes are attracted attention as a new tool in cell-to-cell communication. Functions of exosome molecules such as proteins and micro RNAs are becoming clarified, however, little is known about the role of surface glycans on exosomes. In this study, surface glycans on exosomes from various kinds of cells were analyzed using an evanescent-field fluorescence-assisted lectin array system and their glycan patterns were compared with each other. The glycan patterns changed depending on cell types (normal or cancer) and states (undifferentiated or differentiated) and the surface glycans on exosomes were invoved in cellular uptake.

Free Research Field

生体機能高分子、細胞外小胞

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

エクソソームと細胞との相互作用に関する知見はエクソソーム表面に発現するタンパク質と細胞表面の受容体との相互作用やエクソソーム膜と細胞膜との融合による内包物質の伝達に関する報告がほとんどであり、糖鎖に着目した例はほんのわずかである。また、エクソソームの糖鎖解析は質量分析を用いてエクソソームの構造を破壊して行う手法が主であるが、本研究では初めてレクチンアレイを用いて非破壊状態でエクソソーム表面の糖鎖パターンを解析し、細胞の種類や状態によって変化することを報告した。この結果より、エクソソームの表面糖鎖解析は疾患の早期診断や予後の予測に有用であると予想される。