Multiomics‐based study of amniotic fluid small extracellular vesicles identified Moesin as a biomarker for antenatal hydronephrosis

Abstract

Dear Editor, Antenatal hydronephrosis (ANH) is the most common congenital anomaly of the urinary tract. Pregnancy outcome and fetal prognosis are closely related to the severity of ANH. 1 Approximately 15%−20% of children with ANH result in postnatal renal obstruction, which will lead to rapid deterioration of renal function. 2 Parameters measured by prenatal ultrasonography (US), especially fetal anteroposterior renal pelvic diameter (APD/APRPD), are used as the most predictive indicators to detect and diagnose ANH. 3 However, US tend to be progressive and F I G U R E 1 Verification of the identity of sEVs isolated from amniotic fluid. (A) Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of sEVs combined with SEC and UC. (B) NTA detection of sEVs enriched from AF, approximately 75-200 nm in diameter. (C) EV markers CD9, CD63 and Alix detection in the sEVs isolated from amniotic fluid, and Calnexin, a negative marker of EV, was absent in our isolated sEVs. Jingzhi Li and Ying Fu contributed equally to this work.

Extracellular vesicles from II trimester human amniotic fluid as paracrine conveyors counteracting oxidative stress

“…The first evidence of hAF-EVs as diagnostic elements comes from a study in 2017 showing the procoagulant capacity of phosphatidylserine- and tissue factor-enriched hAF-EVs during amniotic fluid embolism driving disseminated intravascular coagulation [ 42 ]. Small EVs from hAF have been shown to act as informative biomarkers for antenatal hydronephrosis diagnosis, according to their moesin content [ 43 ] and to be dysregulated in their microRNA (miRNA) components in fetuses with congenital diaphragmatic hernia [ 44 ]. Likewise, III trimester hAF-EVs have been found functionally related to preeclampsia by means of increased expression of CD105 (endoglin), which may concur to anti-angiogenic effects [ 28 ].…”

Extracellular vesicles as carriers of mRNA: Opportunities and challenges in diagnosis and treatment

“…Moesin, an mRNA cargo associated with proliferation and epithelial integrity, was upregulated in amniotic fluid EVs from fetuses with fetal antenatal hydronephrosis. Moesin showed better diagnostic potential than current clinical biomarkers, such as ultrasound visualization 88 . However, sampling of amniotic fluid requires an invasive procedure with risks of infection, miscarriage, or preterm birth 89 , 90 .…”

“…In one study, maternal plasma-derived EVs carried significantly lower concentrations of DNA in cases where fetuses were later diagnosed with chromosomal diseases, demonstrating that EVs may serve as an alternative screening tool 87 . A separate study investigated biomarkers for fetal antenatal hydronephrosis, a malformation of the urinary tract 88 . Amniotic fluid-derived EVs had significant differences across mRNA and protein cargoes related to antenatal hydronephrosis.…”