Extracellular Vesicle Biomarkers for Thrombosis

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) participate in thrombosis via the functions of molecule expression on their surfaces, including tissue factor (TF) and phosphatidylserine (PS). TF is an important protein involved in the beginning of the extrinsic pathway, whereas PS contributes to the assembly of the prothrombinase complex by supporting the negatively charged membrane. Additionally, some other EV-linked molecules also participate in coagulation and have potential applications as thrombosis biomarkers. The abovementioned molecules are mainly expressed on platelet-derived EVs, activated monocyte-derived EVs, cancer cell-derived EVs, and epithelial cell-derived EVs and participate in the formation of arterial thromboses, including myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke; venous thromboses, including deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism; and microcirculatory intravascular thromboses. Owing to the merits of nanoscale size and abundance in the blood, EVs have potential applications as biomarkers for predicting the occurrence, development, and severity of thrombotic diseases.