Microvesicle (exosome) RNA as Biomarkers for Disease

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SELECTBIO

Microvesicles (exosomes) are released from all cells and can be isolated from biofluids, including serum, plasma, urine, and CSF. These exosomes carry RNA (mRNA, microRNA, and other small RNAs) and protein from the donor cell that can be easily isolated even after long-term storage in freezers. The use of exosomal RNA has sparked a tremendous interest in the field of biomarkers, where access to the genetic status of disease in a non-invasive way is highly desirable. To develop a clinical test using microvesicle RNA, isolation of exosomes in a robust way that is easy, scalable, reproducible and allows for high-throughput processing in a clinical setting is critical. The RNA needs to be of high quality with markers that allow quality assessment of clinical samples. The use of exosomes is a great platform that enables longitudinal monitoring of a variety of mutations and transcript levels in tumors using qPCR, NGS and digital PCR.