RESUMO
Background: The favorable biological and mechanical properties of the most common components of the placenta, the amnion and chorion, have been explored for regenerative medical indications. The use of the combination of amnion and chorion has also become very popular. But, published data from placental tissues in their final, useable form is lacking. During treatment with membrane product, the tissue is usually sterile, intact and laid on a wound or treatment area. The factors available to the treatment area from the applied product need to be elucidated and presented in a relatable form. Current reporting for eluted growth factor results are typically expressed per milliliter, which is not informative with respect to the area of tissue covered by the actual membrane and may differ among techniques. Methods: To address this inconsistency, amnion or amnion/chorion were isolated from human placentas and processed by a proprietary procedure. The final dry, sterilized product was evaluated for structural components and growth factor elution. Growth factors were quantified by multiplex panels and ELISAs and the values normalized to specific area and elution volume of finished product. This information allows extrapolation to all membrane sizes and affords cross-study comparisons. Results: Analysis of membrane supernatants show that dehydrated, sterilized amnion and amnion/chorion elute factors that are conducive to wound healing, which are available to recipient tissues. Importantly, these measurable factors eluted from dehydrated, sterilized membranes can be reported as a function of available factors per square centimeter of tissue. Conclusions: The standardized characterization of dehydrated, sterilized amnion and amnion/chorion as delivered to recipient tissues permits understanding and comparison of the products across various graft sizes, types, and eluate volumes. Further, reporting this data as a function of cm2 of dehydrated tissue allows extrapolation by independent scientists and clinicians.
RESUMO
Exosomes are very small extracellular vesicles secreted by cells to local and distant tissues. These mini signal transporters elicit acute and chronic effects on recipient cells. Studies regarding exosomes and their relationship to disease, as well as healthy functions, are eliciting extraordinary excitement as data pours in from groups around the world. Reporting of exosome biogenesis, selective loading of cargo, directed release, and resulting changes in adjacent and distal cells are providing information that is changing the way we view cancer progression and treatment. As a result, the properties of exosomes are being exploited for diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic applications. First, by referring to the signaling molecules carried by exosomes, they are being tested as indicators of the presence of transformed cells in early stages of cancer. Secondly, the cargo of exosomes secreted from tumors have been linked to prognostic factors and metastatic properties. Thirdly, exosome-based therapies are being developed which utilize the inherent properties of these mini-transporters to affect and interfere with cancer. Exosome creation, loading, and release plays an important role in cancer formation, progression and organotropic metastasis. The developed and developing therapies should be considered with understanding of their advantages and pitfalls, as well as the various roles exosomes play in normal and pathogenic processes. The combination of previously discovered attributes of exosomes with new discoveries occurring daily provide valuable and additive relevant factors to be considered as we embark on the continued discovery of exosomes and their relationship to cancer diagnostics and therapeutics.
