MELBOURNE, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Scientists in Australia have decoded the molecular contents of blood's hidden "messenger" particles for the first time.
Scientists at Australia's Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute have mapped the complete molecular blueprint of extracellular vesicles (EVs), nanosized particles in blood that act as the body's secret messengers, a media release of the Baker Institute said late Friday.
Researchers have long known EVs carry proteins, lipids, and genetic material reflecting their cells' health status. Isolating them from blood -- packed with cholesterol, antibodies, and other particles -- has remained a major scientific challenge, it said.
"These vesicles are like tiny envelopes sent between cells, delivering molecular updates about what's happening inside the body," said Alin Rai, postdoctoral fellow at the Baker Institute.
Using ultra-pure isolation and multi-omics profiling, the team identified 182 proteins and 52 lipids that define the core structure of EVs, plus pinpointing molecules that decode the body's cellular communication, according to the findings published in Nature Cell Biology.
The researchers have developed an open-access database, EVMap, to help scientists worldwide explore the molecular makeup of blood EVs.
"By decoding this molecular language, we can begin to read the body's own health reports," said Professor David Greening of the Baker Institute.
"We've already identified EV signatures linked to early heart disease, which could pave the way for simple blood tests that predict risk long before symptoms appear," Greening said. ■
