Ectosomes (Ects) are a subpopulation of extracellular vesicles formed by the process of plasma membrane shedding. In the present study, we profiled ectosome-specific microRNAs (miRNAs) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and analyzed their pro- and anti-angiogenic potential.Methods: We used different approaches for detecting and enumerating Ects, including atomic force microscopy, cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, and nanoparticle tracking analysis. Furthermore, we used bioinformatics tools to analyze functional data obtained from specific miRNA enrichment signatures during angiogenesis and vasculature development.Results: Levels of miR-193b-3p, miR-199a-3p, miR-20a-3p, miR-26b-5p, miR-30b-5p, miR-30c-5p, miR-374a-5p, miR-409-3p, and miR-95-3p were significantly different between Ects obtained from patients with T2DM and those obtained from healthy controls.Conclusion: Our results showed differences in the abundance of pro- and anti-angiogenic miRNAs in Ects of patients with T2DM, and are suggestive of mechanisms underlying the development of vascular complications due to impaired angiogenesis in such patients.

Core-shell type stars synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization were used for the delivery of nucleic acids. The interior of the stars consisted of hyperbranched poly(arylene oxindole), while the arms were composed of poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate).The length of the star arms varied in degree of polymerization (DP) from 14 to 98. The hydrodynamic radius of the structures measured in water indicated the presence of small aggregates, while isolated stars ranging in size from 14 to 29 nm were seen in organic solvent.The phase transition temperatures of the stars in water, measured in basic conditions, were shifted to lower values with increasing DP of the arms. Stable polyplexes of stars with plasmid DNA were formed. Their size varied from 300 nm to 400 nm, depending upon the DP of arms. The zeta potential of the polyplexes was positive, which facilitated their cellular uptake. The DP of the arms influenced the transfection efficiency of HT-1080 cells, demonstrating that stars are promising candidates for synthetic gene vectors.

The crystallization of polymers from organic solvents is a common phenomenon. Poly(2-isopropyl-2-oxazoline) (PIPOx) is known to crystallize in aqueous or aqueous/organic solvent solutions. This process is associated with the dehydration of polymer chains above the polymer’s lower critical solution temperature (LCST). In this work, the ability of PIPOx to crystallize in nonaqueous media is presented. The annealing of a solution of PIPOx in organic solvents, such as acetonitrile, dimethyl sulfoxide, or propylene carbonate, leads to the precipitation of insoluble material. DSC and WAXS studies confirm the formation of a crystalline phase in the solution, with the degree of crystallinity dependent on the solvent and the polymer concentration. SEM analysis reveals micron-sized fibril structures of the PIPOx crystalline fraction. The glass transition temperature (T g) and the melting temperature (T m) of PIPOx crystallized in organic solutions are equal to those of the polymer crystallized in bulk. The enthalpy of melting (ΔH) of the PIPOx crystalline fraction versus its degree of crystallinity (χc) is shown. The value of the enthalpy of melting for hypothetical, fully crystalline PIPOx (ΔH 100%) is determined.