Open AccessCD4 + T cell activation promotes the differential release of distinct populations of nanosized vesicles
Author(s) -
Vlist Els J.,
Arkesteijn Ger J.A.,
Lest Chris H.A.,
Stoorvogel Willem,
Nolte't Hoen Esther N.M.,
Wauben Marca H.M.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of extracellular vesicles
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.94
H-Index - 68
ISSN - 2001-3078
DOI - 10.3402/jev.v1i0.18364
Subject(s) - vesicle , flow cytometry , microvesicles , endosome , microbiology and biotechnology , population , biophysics , exocytosis , t cell , cell , biology , chemistry , immune system , biochemistry , membrane , immunology , microrna , demography , sociology , gene
Many cell types release nanosized vesicles derived from endosomal compartments (exosomes) or the plasma membrane. Vesicles actively released by CD4 + T cells have immune‐modulatory characteristics. Using our recently developed high‐resolution flow cytometry‐based method for the analysis of individual nanosized vesicles, we here investigated how T cell receptor (TCR)‐triggering and co‐stimulatory signals influence the quantity and characteristics of nanosized vesicles released by CD4 + T cells. We found that the number of released nanosized vesicles within the buoyant density range characteristic for exosomes (1.10–1.19 g/ml) was increased by TCR‐triggering and that additional co‐stimulatory signals had a potentiating effect on vesicle release. However, the increase in the number of released vesicles varied substantially between density fractions within the 1.10–1.19 g/ml range and was highest for the vesicle populations in 1.14 and 1.17 g/ml fractions. Heterogeneity was also observed within the individual density fractions. Based on lipid bilayer fluorescent labelling intensity and light scattering, 3 distinct vesicle subpopulations were identified. One vesicle subpopulation increased significantly more upon T cell activation than the other subpopulations, and this was dependent on high levels of co‐stimulation. These data show that T cells release a heterogeneous population of nanosized vesicles and indicate that T cells differentially regulate the release of distinct vesicle subpopulations depending on their activation status.