Biochemical Characterization of Human Salivary Extracellular Vesicles as a Valuable Source of Biomarkers

Abstract

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are natural nanoparticles secreted under physiological and pathological conditions. Thanks to their diagnostic potential, EVs are increasingly being studied as biomarkers of a variety of diseases, including neurological disorders. To date, most studies on EV biomarkers use blood as the source, despite different disadvantages that may cause an impure isolation of the EVs. In the present article, we propose the use of saliva as a valuable source of EVs that could be studied as biomarkers in an easily accessible biofluid. Using a comparable protocol for the isolation of EVs from both liquid biopsies, salivary EVs showed greater purity in terms of co-isolates (evaluated by nanoparticle tracking analysis and Conan test). In addition, Raman spectroscopy was used for the identification of the overall biochemical composition of EVs coming from the two different biofluids. Even considering the limited amount of EVs that can be isolated from saliva, the use of Raman spectroscopy was not hampered, and it was able to provide a comprehensive characterization of EVs in a high throughput and repeatable manner. Raman spectroscopy can thus represent a turning point in the application of salivary EVs in clinics, taking advantage of the simple method of collection of the liquid biopsy and of the quick, sensitive and label-free biophotonics-based approach.