Abstract

Automated Proteomic Characterization of Single Exosomes

George Daaboul, Chief Scientific Officer, nanoView Diagnostics, Inc.

Exosome research requires validation of prepared samples that has traditionally been performed using nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) combined with proteomic analysis for exosomal proteins. Recently, Flow Cytometry (FC) has been used to combine the sizing and proteomic information about samples under analysis. While a mature tool for large cellular-sized analyses, FC has limitations resulting from the small-size of exosomes, specifically in terms of the number of available surface epitopes and low-signal relative to background levels, especially in complex samples. nanoView Diagnostics has recently developed a label-free visible-light microarray imaging technique that allows multiplexed enumeration and sizing of individual nanovesicles captured on the sensor in a one-step assay direct-from-sample and can work with samples volumes as small as 5 µl. The exosome characterization technology is a high-throughput technique that can improve standardization of exosome preparations and facilitate translation of exosome based liquid biopsies.