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Exosomes: nanoparticles offering a new future to cure disease | Shivani Sharma | TEDxManhattanBeach


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[Music] [Applause]

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[Applause] cells within our bodies communicate with

cells within our bodies communicate with

cells within our bodies communicate with each other just like we do sometimes

each other just like we do sometimes

each other just like we do sometimes with cells next door and other times at

with cells next door and other times at

with cells next door and other times at cells at opposite ends of the body we’ve

cells at opposite ends of the body we’ve

cells at opposite ends of the body we’ve known for quite a while that cells use

known for quite a while that cells use

known for quite a while that cells use neurons and hormones to communicate and

neurons and hormones to communicate and

neurons and hormones to communicate and most of us can relate to adrenaline the

most of us can relate to adrenaline the

most of us can relate to adrenaline the hormone that is released in our

hormone that is released in our

hormone that is released in our bloodstream under stressful situations

bloodstream under stressful situations

bloodstream under stressful situations like giving TED talk turns out that our

like giving TED talk turns out that our

like giving TED talk turns out that our body is in fact a giant factory of these

body is in fact a giant factory of these

body is in fact a giant factory of these teeny tiny nano particles called the

teeny tiny nano particles called the

teeny tiny nano particles called the exosomes and that provides to our body

exosomes and that provides to our body

exosomes and that provides to our body with another mechanism for cell

with another mechanism for cell

with another mechanism for cell communication almost all cells in our

communication almost all cells in our

communication almost all cells in our body are continuously manufacturing

body are continuously manufacturing

body are continuously manufacturing these nanoparticles and secreting them

these nanoparticles and secreting them

these nanoparticles and secreting them into our body fluids into the

into our body fluids into the

into our body fluids into the extracellular environment which is our

extracellular environment which is our

extracellular environment which is our blood or brain or saliva and our urine

blood or brain or saliva and our urine

blood or brain or saliva and our urine once into the body fluid these teeny

once into the body fluid these teeny

once into the body fluid these teeny tiny exosomes float to distant parts of

tiny exosomes float to distant parts of

tiny exosomes float to distant parts of the body and when they do they’re

the body and when they do they’re

the body and when they do they’re carrying these very specific signals and

carrying these very specific signals and

carrying these very specific signals and very specific cargos for the recipient

very specific cargos for the recipient

very specific cargos for the recipient cells mostly with good consequences but

cells mostly with good consequences but

cells mostly with good consequences but sometimes with bad ones too and what

sometimes with bad ones too and what

sometimes with bad ones too and what they’re doing is they’re taking these

they’re doing is they’re taking these

they’re doing is they’re taking these specific signatures specific signals

specific signatures specific signals

specific signatures specific signals from the cell and talking to very

from the cell and talking to very

from the cell and talking to very distant cells in our bodies now to give

distant cells in our bodies now to give

distant cells in our bodies now to give you a size perspective of how small

you a size perspective of how small

you a size perspective of how small these particles are a single exosome is

these particles are a single exosome is

these particles are a single exosome is about a thousand times smaller than a

about a thousand times smaller than a

about a thousand times smaller than a typical cell SI creating it or to put it

typical cell SI creating it or to put it

typical cell SI creating it or to put it another way about a million exosomes

another way about a million exosomes

another way about a million exosomes would fit on the tip of a very very

would fit on the tip of a very very

would fit on the tip of a very very sharp pencil so how come did we miss

sharp pencil so how come did we miss

sharp pencil so how come did we miss this 24-7 nanofactory although they were

this 24-7 nanofactory although they were

this 24-7 nanofactory although they were discovered in the 1980s scientists

discovered in the 1980s scientists

discovered in the 1980s scientists initially thought these exosomes

initially thought these exosomes

initially thought these exosomes were cellular garbage bags throwing out

were cellular garbage bags throwing out

were cellular garbage bags throwing out unwanted

unwanted

unwanted proteins in 2007 the discovery that

proteins in 2007 the discovery that

proteins in 2007 the discovery that exosomes were actually also transferring

exosomes were actually also transferring

exosomes were actually also transferring genetic material between cells suggested

genetic material between cells suggested

genetic material between cells suggested that was there was a larger role of

that was there was a larger role of

that was there was a larger role of these particles in cellular

these particles in cellular

these particles in cellular communication however their small size

communication however their small size

communication however their small size was still a challenge for us scientists

was still a challenge for us scientists

was still a challenge for us scientists seeing is believing and the first step

seeing is believing and the first step

seeing is believing and the first step to understanding too small to be seen

to understanding too small to be seen

to understanding too small to be seen under a regular microscope the only way

under a regular microscope the only way

under a regular microscope the only way to actually look at these particles was

to actually look at these particles was

to actually look at these particles was through electron microscopy a method

through electron microscopy a method

through electron microscopy a method that involved bombarding these fragile

that involved bombarding these fragile

that involved bombarding these fragile particles with electrons under harsh

particles with electrons under harsh

particles with electrons under harsh environmental conditions high vacuum

environmental conditions high vacuum

environmental conditions high vacuum unfortunately the process was too harsh

unfortunately the process was too harsh

unfortunately the process was too harsh and did provide little information if

and did provide little information if

and did provide little information if any one random day in 2010 while talking

any one random day in 2010 while talking

any one random day in 2010 while talking to my balls his friends at UCLA I

to my balls his friends at UCLA I

to my balls his friends at UCLA I understood how frustrated they were by

understood how frustrated they were by

understood how frustrated they were by not being able to see these single

not being able to see these single

not being able to see these single exosomes at the individual particle

exosomes at the individual particle

exosomes at the individual particle level preventing them for studying them

level preventing them for studying them

level preventing them for studying them more effectively and a thought came to

more effectively and a thought came to

more effectively and a thought came to my mind Robert Hooke a famous

my mind Robert Hooke a famous

my mind Robert Hooke a famous seventeenth century scientist had once

seventeenth century scientist had once

seventeenth century scientist had once stated with the help of microscopes

stated with the help of microscopes

stated with the help of microscopes there is nothing so small as to escape

there is nothing so small as to escape

there is nothing so small as to escape our inquiry embracing his idea and as a

our inquiry embracing his idea and as a

our inquiry embracing his idea and as a nanotechnologist and also to satisfy my

nanotechnologist and also to satisfy my

nanotechnologist and also to satisfy my own growing curiosity I decided to

own growing curiosity I decided to

own growing curiosity I decided to examine these particles using the atomic

examine these particles using the atomic

examine these particles using the atomic force microscope an AFM actually feels

force microscope an AFM actually feels

force microscope an AFM actually feels and touches the surface of the particle

and touches the surface of the particle

and touches the surface of the particle using a very very fine mechanical probe

using a very very fine mechanical probe

using a very very fine mechanical probe without damaging the particles the

without damaging the particles the

without damaging the particles the fragile particles under observation and

fragile particles under observation and

fragile particles under observation and that was my first meeting with the

that was my first meeting with the

that was my first meeting with the exosome our group at UCLA was the first

exosome our group at UCLA was the first

exosome our group at UCLA was the first one to use the atomic force microscope

one to use the atomic force microscope

one to use the atomic force microscope to image exosomes what you see on the

to image exosomes what you see on the

to image exosomes what you see on the screen and appears as the galaxies of

screen and appears as the galaxies of

screen and appears as the galaxies of stars are in fact exosomes floating in

stars are in fact exosomes floating in

stars are in fact exosomes floating in our blood a picture

our blood a picture

our blood a picture that I took using our nanoscale

that I took using our nanoscale

that I took using our nanoscale microscopy now with the use of the

microscopy now with the use of the

microscopy now with the use of the atomic force microscope we could do much

atomic force microscope we could do much

atomic force microscope we could do much more than just observe exosomes we could

more than just observe exosomes we could

more than just observe exosomes we could look at their shape their size and their

look at their shape their size and their

look at their shape their size and their structure in greater detail so here is a

structure in greater detail so here is a

structure in greater detail so here is a zoomin of one of such particle in

zoomin of one of such particle in

zoomin of one of such particle in exosome and you can see the particle

exosome and you can see the particle

exosome and you can see the particle exhibiting a vesicular shape something

exhibiting a vesicular shape something

exhibiting a vesicular shape something that was undetectable previously using

that was undetectable previously using

that was undetectable previously using the electron microscopy so because we

the electron microscopy so because we

the electron microscopy so because we were just not observing but also

were just not observing but also

were just not observing but also touching and feeling we could do a lot

touching and feeling we could do a lot

touching and feeling we could do a lot more we could count the number of

more we could count the number of

more we could count the number of particles that floated in our blood at a

particles that floated in our blood at a

particles that floated in our blood at a time we could visualize their shape at

time we could visualize their shape at

time we could visualize their shape at the nano scale we could measure the size

the nano scale we could measure the size

the nano scale we could measure the size of these particles and also we could

of these particles and also we could

of these particles and also we could measure the stickiness of these

measure the stickiness of these

measure the stickiness of these particles a characteristic that helps

particles a characteristic that helps

particles a characteristic that helps them stick to other cells and we could

them stick to other cells and we could

them stick to other cells and we could measure how these particles deformed

measure how these particles deformed

measure how these particles deformed under force when they go through the

under force when they go through the

under force when they go through the harsh bio fluid environments still

harsh bio fluid environments still

harsh bio fluid environments still preserving their precious cargo these

preserving their precious cargo these

preserving their precious cargo these new approaches are enabling us to answer

new approaches are enabling us to answer

new approaches are enabling us to answer more complex questions such as what

more complex questions such as what

more complex questions such as what exactly is the exposome signaling why

exactly is the exposome signaling why

exactly is the exposome signaling why and how is this cell accepting a package

and how is this cell accepting a package

and how is this cell accepting a package through the exosomes coming from a

through the exosomes coming from a

through the exosomes coming from a distant cell and more importantly what

distant cell and more importantly what

distant cell and more importantly what can we do to exploit this exchange of

can we do to exploit this exchange of

can we do to exploit this exchange of signals and cargo between distant cells

signals and cargo between distant cells

signals and cargo between distant cells through the exams to our advantage

through the exams to our advantage

through the exams to our advantage research has shown that X is Ohm’s

research has shown that X is Ohm’s

research has shown that X is Ohm’s typically helped in neural communication

typically helped in neural communication

typically helped in neural communication and boost our immune system they also

and boost our immune system they also

and boost our immune system they also stimulate tissue regeneration wound

stimulate tissue regeneration wound

stimulate tissue regeneration wound healing and prevent infections but

healing and prevent infections but

healing and prevent infections but that’s not always true

that’s not always true

that’s not always true sometimes the exosomes can malfunction

sometimes the exosomes can malfunction

sometimes the exosomes can malfunction as in the case of cancer our group has

as in the case of cancer our group has

as in the case of cancer our group has identified cancer exosomes

identified cancer exosomes

identified cancer exosomes in body fluids of patients with cancer

in body fluids of patients with cancer

in body fluids of patients with cancer and this includes in saliva and blood in

and this includes in saliva and blood in

and this includes in saliva and blood in urine when these cancer

urine when these cancer

urine when these cancer somes float within the body fluids they

somes float within the body fluids they

somes float within the body fluids they have one specific mission cancer

have one specific mission cancer

have one specific mission cancer carrying signals to other non cancerous

carrying signals to other non cancerous

carrying signals to other non cancerous cells what you see here on the screen is

cells what you see here on the screen is

cells what you see here on the screen is a cancer cell that I caught in the act

a cancer cell that I caught in the act

a cancer cell that I caught in the act you can see this burst of X’s ohms

you can see this burst of X’s ohms

you can see this burst of X’s ohms coming out of the of the membrane

coming out of the of the membrane

coming out of the of the membrane surface these are the eggs as ohms that

surface these are the eggs as ohms that

surface these are the eggs as ohms that are carrying the cancer signals signals

are carrying the cancer signals signals

are carrying the cancer signals signals that we now know go far and wide here is

that we now know go far and wide here is

that we now know go far and wide here is another example of exosomes from a

another example of exosomes from a

another example of exosomes from a highly aggressive brain cancer these

highly aggressive brain cancer these

highly aggressive brain cancer these tentacles that you see these are very

tentacles that you see these are very

tentacles that you see these are very fine nano structures about what two

fine nano structures about what two

fine nano structures about what two thousand times smaller than of a human

thousand times smaller than of a human

thousand times smaller than of a human hair and these seem like perfect hooks

hair and these seem like perfect hooks

hair and these seem like perfect hooks for these exosomes

for these exosomes

for these exosomes to latch on to adhere to other non

to latch on to adhere to other non

to latch on to adhere to other non cancer cells and thereby transfer their

cancer cells and thereby transfer their

cancer cells and thereby transfer their hands are carrying signals to other non

hands are carrying signals to other non

hands are carrying signals to other non cancerous cells and thereby spread

cancerous cells and thereby spread

cancerous cells and thereby spread disease what ignites scientists like me

disease what ignites scientists like me

disease what ignites scientists like me to study individual exosomes is the hope

to study individual exosomes is the hope

to study individual exosomes is the hope that they bring to the biomedical field

that they bring to the biomedical field

that they bring to the biomedical field first being able to successfully

first being able to successfully

first being able to successfully identify healthy from diseased exosomes

identify healthy from diseased exosomes

identify healthy from diseased exosomes gives us a powerful tool to actually

gives us a powerful tool to actually

gives us a powerful tool to actually very early on detect diseases such as

very early on detect diseases such as

very early on detect diseases such as Alzheimer’s and cancer just by using a

Alzheimer’s and cancer just by using a

Alzheimer’s and cancer just by using a single drop of blood or even saliva also

single drop of blood or even saliva also

single drop of blood or even saliva also what we can do is we can use their

what we can do is we can use their

what we can do is we can use their natural abilities to pass through the

natural abilities to pass through the

natural abilities to pass through the blood-brain barrier and use them as

blood-brain barrier and use them as

blood-brain barrier and use them as novel drug delivery agents using them as

novel drug delivery agents using them as

novel drug delivery agents using them as novel drug delivery agents we can target

novel drug delivery agents we can target

novel drug delivery agents we can target them to neurodegenerative diseases such

them to neurodegenerative diseases such

them to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s multiple sclerosis and

as Alzheimer’s multiple sclerosis and

as Alzheimer’s multiple sclerosis and different cancers especially the deadly

different cancers especially the deadly

different cancers especially the deadly brain cancers that are very difficult to

brain cancers that are very difficult to

brain cancers that are very difficult to tackle otherwise it is through

tackle otherwise it is through

tackle otherwise it is through nanotechnology that we are deciphering

nanotechnology that we are deciphering

nanotechnology that we are deciphering how exosomes communicate we are trying

how exosomes communicate we are trying

how exosomes communicate we are trying to understand this complex process of

to understand this complex process of

to understand this complex process of the exosomes carrying good signals but

the exosomes carrying good signals but

the exosomes carrying good signals but when the malfunction they carry the bad

when the malfunction they carry the bad

when the malfunction they carry the bad signal

signal

signal and what they do is then spread the

and what they do is then spread the

and what they do is then spread the disease so what could be a good

disease so what could be a good

disease so what could be a good communication it can easily be turned

communication it can easily be turned

communication it can easily be turned into a bad communication so I’m always

into a bad communication so I’m always

into a bad communication so I’m always I’m often asked what do I care so much

I’m often asked what do I care so much

I’m often asked what do I care so much about X’s ohms and nanotechnology my

about X’s ohms and nanotechnology my

about X’s ohms and nanotechnology my father is a doctor and undoubtedly hope

father is a doctor and undoubtedly hope

father is a doctor and undoubtedly hope that I would follow his career path but

that I would follow his career path but

that I would follow his career path but I always wanted to use innovative ways

I always wanted to use innovative ways

I always wanted to use innovative ways to break those code the signals that

to break those code the signals that

to break those code the signals that cells communicate with each other how

cells communicate with each other how

cells communicate with each other how human diseases spread what can we do

human diseases spread what can we do

human diseases spread what can we do through nanotechnology and other

through nanotechnology and other

through nanotechnology and other innovative ways to actually prevent that

innovative ways to actually prevent that

innovative ways to actually prevent that spread and also use the healing powers

spread and also use the healing powers

spread and also use the healing powers of the good exosomes to actually prevent

of the good exosomes to actually prevent

of the good exosomes to actually prevent diseases that are difficult to manage

diseases that are difficult to manage

diseases that are difficult to manage through just the proteomic or the

through just the proteomic or the

through just the proteomic or the genomic methods and find novel ways and

genomic methods and find novel ways and

genomic methods and find novel ways and that’s what inspires me about

that’s what inspires me about

that’s what inspires me about nanotechnology and the exams it is this

nanotechnology and the exams it is this

nanotechnology and the exams it is this this hope to be able to use

this hope to be able to use

this hope to be able to use nanotechnology to look at these small

nanotechnology to look at these small

nanotechnology to look at these small particles understand them at a very

particles understand them at a very

particles understand them at a very precise level and then being able to

precise level and then being able to

precise level and then being able to manipulate them to actually help the

manipulate them to actually help the

manipulate them to actually help the body do more good than the bad and I am

body do more good than the bad and I am

body do more good than the bad and I am hopeful that with the work that we are

hopeful that with the work that we are

hopeful that with the work that we are doing today we will be able to provide a

doing today we will be able to provide a

doing today we will be able to provide a better and healthier future for our kids

better and healthier future for our kids

better and healthier future for our kids the journey of exosomes has just begun

the journey of exosomes has just begun

the journey of exosomes has just begun with nano steps and giant leaps thank

with nano steps and giant leaps thank

with nano steps and giant leaps thank you

”

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