Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of Serum Exosomes at Different Stages after Ischemic Stroke

Ischemic stroke (IS) is one of the leading causes of long-term disability worldwide. At the same time, there is still no unequivocal understanding of the causes of the varying degrees and speed of recovery of patients after IS. Recovery from IS results from the highly organized interaction of brain structures and cells with other organs and tissues and involves a number of pathophysiological processes occurring both inside and outside the brain. Exosomes are involved in modulating pathophysiological processes after IS by mediating cell-tissue communication, primarily by delivering cargo such as proteins and microRNAs. A comparative quantitative analysis of the protein profiles of serum exosomes of patients examined at different stages after IS was carried out. The expression of proteins associated with immune system functioning and coagulation in the serum exosomes of patients examined 1.5–2 years after IS was significantly higher compared to the parameters of patients examined in the earlier post-stroke period. The results indicate an increased level of immune system activation in the long-term post-stroke period compared to the early post-stroke period and the involvement of exosomes in this process. Further study of the molecular and biochemical parameters of exosomes in the long-term post-stroke period will allow us to assess the risks of negative IS outcomes and find potential targets for their reduction.