{"534621":{"#nid":"534621","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Exosomes on the Lymphatic Fast Track","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EThe survival and wellbeing of multicellular organisms depends on good cell-to-cell communication. Helping to carry out this critical information exchange are nanoparticles called exosomes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EThese tiny vesicles (smaller than red blood cells), discovered about 35 years ago, were initially thought of as little dumpsters for unwanted cellular material. But further study of exosomes demonstrated their role as long-distance couriers with specific messages to carry \u2013 they can transfer biomolecules (proteins, lipids, genetic material) that impact recipient cells\u2019 functionality in a variety of physiologic and disease processes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EIt also turns out that exosomes are in the ideal size range for lymphatic transport, and this is what really interests Brandon Dixon, faculty researcher in the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EDixon, whose research focuses on lymphatic function, attended a presentation by fellow Petit Institute researcher Fred Vannberg several years ago. Vannberg\u2019s lab uses computer algorithms and genomics to investigate infectious diseases, and this includes the role of exosomes during infection. His presentation that day described the characteristics of exosomes, which when released in the periphery are too big to be taken up by blood vessels, but just right for lymphatic transport.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003E\u201cWhen Fred told me that, I thought that here was a mechanism that seems to have been made to target lymphatics,\u201d says Dixon, associate professor in the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, who leads the Laboratory of Lymphatic Biology and Bioengineering (LLBB). \u201cExosomes are the perfect size when we think of creating contrast agents or drug delivery particles that we want to use to target lymphathics.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003ESo, utilizing a Petit Institute seed grant, Dixon and Vannberg brought their distinct skills together to produce a groundbreaking research paper, \u201cLymphatic transport of exosomes as a rapid route of information dissemination to the lymph node,\u201d published last month in the \u003Cem\u003ENature\u003C\/em\u003E journal, \u003Cem\u003EScientific Reports\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003E\u201cLymphatic vessels provide an extremely rapid route for delivery of exosomes from the tissue to the draining lymph node,\u201d Dixon says. \u201cLymphatic transport has been implied in previous publications, but this is the first demonstration of immediate lymphatic transport, a feat we achieved using our non-invasive near-infrared imaging technology and fluorescently labeled exosomes.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003ETheir results suggest that exosome transfer via lymphatic flow (from the periphery to the lymph node) could enable a rapid exchange of infection-specific information that precedes the arrival of migrating cells, priming the node for a more effective innate immune response, or \u201ca first warning response during infection,\u201d Dixon explains.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003E\u201cWhat\u2019s exciting about this research is, we\u2019re kind of finding out what is happening as part of the real-time response to infection, with the innate immune system being activated in a particular way by these particles,\u201d adds Vannberg, assistant professor in the School of Biology. \u201cAnd that helps guide what\u2019s going to happen a few days later with the adaptive immune response.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EIn previous research, Vannberg has tried to quantitate the body\u2019s ability to fight infection, focusing on tuberculosis and leprosy. He became especially interested in exosomes\u2019 role in our immune system\u2019s ability to detect and fight disease after reading the research of Notre Dame researcher Jeff Schorey, who identified exosomes as ideal for diagnostic development.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EThe collaboration between Vannberg and Dixon is like a research laboratory version of a Marvel super hero saga \u2013 individuals combining disparate skills (\u2018super powers\u2019 in the movie version) to achieve a common goal. Or, as Vannberg says, \u201cthis paper helps highlight both of our areas of expertise \u2013 mine in terms of genomics and infectious diseases, while Brandon is known worldwide for his work in lymphatic biology and his understanding of kinetics.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EDixon\u2019s lab was able to determine how fast the particles got delivered to the node \u2013 \u201cwithin a few minutes,\u201d Dixon says. \u201cUntil now, we really had no appreciation of the time scale.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p3\u0022\u003ELead author on the paper was biology grad student Swetha Srinivasan, who is co-advised by Dixon and Vannberg. They designed the experiments and she carried out the experimental work, while all three analyzed the data, wrote and reviewed the manuscript. Their published research illustrates a potentially efficient pathway for targeted therapeutics, somewhere down the line.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003E\u201cWe believe this work has far-reaching implications on how biological systems \u2013 like pathogens, immune cells and cancer cells \u2013 could utilize lymphatic transport of exosomes to rapidly manipulate the lymph node environment,\u201d Dixon says.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EAn upcoming paper will help determine what actually happens when exosomes arrive in the lymph node.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re interested in understanding the immune consequences of exosomes in the context of infection and immunity,\u201d Vannberg says. \u201cFurther research will help explain how these particles can stimulate a quick response and also inform the adaptive response.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p2\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/srep24436\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EREAD THE RESEARCH PAPER HERE\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p2\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p2\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECONTACT:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p2\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for\u003Cbr \/\u003EBioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p2\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Dixon-Vannberg research supported by Petit Institute Interdisciplinary Seed Grant"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EDixon-Vannberg research supported by Petit Institute Interdisciplinary Seed Grant\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Dixon-Vannberg research supported by Petit Institute Interdisciplinary Seed Grant"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2016-05-09 11:40:26","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:21:39","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-05-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2016-05-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"534581":{"id":"534581","type":"image","title":"Lymphatic system","body":null,"created":"1462892400","gmt_created":"2016-05-10 15:00:00","changed":"1475895319","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:19","alt":"Lymphatic system","file":{"fid":"88789","name":"bigstock-lymphatic-system-1201118.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/bigstock-lymphatic-system-1201118_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/bigstock-lymphatic-system-1201118_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1105130,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/bigstock-lymphatic-system-1201118_0.jpg?itok=Mc69zjPb"}},"237061":{"id":"237061","type":"image","title":"Assistant professor Brandon Dixon","body":null,"created":"1449243659","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 15:40:59","changed":"1475894911","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:48:31","alt":"Assistant professor Brandon Dixon","file":{"fid":"197696","name":"dixon-profile-lab.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/dixon-profile-lab_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/dixon-profile-lab_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":143203,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/dixon-profile-lab_0.jpg?itok=0kfeW7q-"}},"302161":{"id":"302161","type":"image","title":"Fred Vannberg","body":null,"created":"1449244592","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 15:56:32","changed":"1493147592","gmt_changed":"2017-04-25 19:13:12","alt":"","file":{"fid":"199575","name":"vannbergfred2014.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/vannbergfred2014_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/vannbergfred2014_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":981984,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/vannbergfred2014_0.jpg?itok=FGux4fUo"}}},"media_ids":["534581","237061","302161"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for\u003Cbr \/\u003EBioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}