Universiteit Gent

Vib Vzw

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Ku Leuven R&d

Pieter Mestdagh

Joke Vandesompele

Jean-Christophe Marine

Eleonora Leucci

Sven Eyckerman

Olivier De Wever

An Hendrix

Dries Rombaut

Steve Lefever

Franki Speleman

Edward Geeurickx

Fjoralba Zeka

Anneleen Decock

Joëlle Vermeulen

Katleen De Preter

This disclosure relates to the field of research and clinical usage of extracellular vesicles. More in particular, this disclosure relates to usages of recombinant extracellular vesicles comprising a) a self-assembling protein that directs its own release through vesicles as a luminal membrane-bound protein and b) a heterologous marker. Indeed, the disclosure provides recombinant extracellular vesicles that can be used as a biological reference material in methods to quantify extracellular vesicles in a sample, and/or, that can be used to calibrate a device for sample extracellular vesicles analysis, and/or, that can be used to evaluate the isolation process of extracellular vesicles. This disclosure thus relates to improving the accuracy of an extracellular vesicle-based diagnosis.

Usages of recombinant extracellular vesicles

A treatment of cancer, particularly the treatment of neuroblastoma. Indeed, the discloses that a particular long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is specifically up-regulated in neuroblastoma cells as compared to other cancer cells and that high expression of the lncRNA correlates with a lower survival probability. Inhibition of this lncRNA in neuroblastoma cells leads to a reduction in cell growth and induction of apoptosis and is a novel therapeutic strategy in the treatment of neuroblastoma.

Inhibition of a lncRNA for treatment of neuroblastoma

This disclosure relates to the field of cancer, particularly the field of melanoma. It was found that a particular long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is specifically up-regulated in melanoma (but not other tumor) cells as compared to melanocytes. Inhibition of this lncRNA in melanoma cells leads to induction of apoptosis and is a novel therapeutic strategy in the treatment of melanoma.

Inhibition of a lncRNA for treatment of melanoma

Growing community of inventors

Bruges, Belgium

Pieter Mestdagh