Urinary extracellular vesicles: biomarkers and beyond

Extracellular vesicles have been isolated in various body fluids including urine. The cargo of urinary extracellular vesicles (uEVs) is composed of proteins and nucleic acids reflecting the physiological and possibly the pathophysiological state of cells lining the nephron. Because urine is a non-invasive and readily available biofluid, the discovery of uEVs has opened a new field of biomarker research.

The studies presented in this thesis are aimed to develop a novel method to isolate and characterize uEVs, as well as to explore their use as biomarkers for salt-sensitive hypertension and autosomal polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). This thesis is divided into three sections. Section 1 provides insight into the function of uEVs, their isolation, and characterization. Section 2 assesses the role of uEVs as markers for salt-sensitive hypertension. Finally, in Section 3, markers for ADPKD, including uEVs are studied.