As mediators of intercellular communication, extracellular vesicles containing molecular cargo, such as microRNAs, are secreted by cells and taken up by recipient cells to influence their cellular phenotype and function.
Here Paula da Costa Martins and collaborators report that cardiac stress induces differential microRNA content in cardiomyocyte-derived extracellular vesicles. Silencing of extracellular vesicle-enriched miR-200c-3p in mice resulted in attenuated hypertrophy, smaller fibrotic areas, higher capillary density, and preserved cardiac ejection fraction. The results reveal vesicle transfer of miR-200c-3p from cardiomyocytes to cardiac endothelial cells, underlining the importance of cardiac intercellular communication in the pathophysiology of heart failure.
For more information:
Ottaviani L, Juni RP, de Abreu RC, Sansonetti M, Sampaio-Pinto V, Halkein J, Hegenbarth JC, Ring N, Knoops K, Kocken JMM, Jesus C, Ernault AC, El Azzouzi H, Rühle F, Olieslagers S, Fernandes H, Ferreira L, Braga L, Stoll M, Nascimento DS, de Windt LJ, da Costa Martins PA. Intercellular transfer of miR-200c-3p impairs the angiogenic capacity of cardiac endothelial cells. Mol Ther. 2022 [doi:10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.03.002] [PubMed]