Extracellular vesicles derived from macrophage promote angiogenesis In vitro and accelerate new vasculature formation In vivo

Background: Ischemia is the partial or complete blockage of blood supply to tissues. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are emerging as a therapeutic tool for ischemic diseases. Most EV-based ischemia therapies are based on various stem cells. Here, we propose an alternative cell source for the isolation of pro-angiogenic EVs. Methods: EVs were isolated from a mouse macrophage cell line (Raw 264.7). The characteristic features of the macrophage-derived EVs (MAC-EVs) were assessed using transmission electron microscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis, and Western blotting (WB) analysis. WB and qRT-PCR were performed to identify the pro-angiogenic VEGF and Wnt3a proteins and microRNAs (miR-210, miR-126, and miR-130a) in the MAC-EVs. In vitro and in vivo Matrigel plug assays were performed to investigate the capacity of the MAC-EVs for tube (blood vessel-like) formation and new blood vessel formation and assessed by histology. Results: The MAC-EVs was positive for ALIX and negative for calnexin, with a round shape and an average size of 189 ± 65.1 nm. WB and qRT-PCR results revealed that VEGF, Wnt3a and miR-130a were more abundant in the MAC-EVs than cells. MAC-EVs treatment resulted in increased endothelial cellular proliferation, migration, and tube formation in vitro. In vivo assay results revealed that MAC-EVs increased the formation of new and larger blood vessels in the Matrigel plug of mice compared to the formation in the control group. Conclusion: Our results suggest that MAC-EVs have the potential to induce angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo, could serve as a pro-angiogenic alternative for ischemic diseases.