Exosomes derived from HEK293T cells interact in an efficient and non-invasive manner with mammalian sperm in vitro

Abstract

Aims: To investigate exosomes as a non-invasive delivery tool for mammalian sperm. Materials & Methods: Exosomes were isolated from HEK293T cells and co-incubated with boar sperm in vitro. Results: Internalized exosomes were detected within 10 minutes of co-incubation. Computer-assisted sperm analysis and flow cytometry demonstrated that even after 5-hours of exposure to exosomes, there were no significant deleterious effects with regards to sperm motility, viability, membrane integrity and mitochondrial membrane potential (P>0.05), thus indicating that exosomes did not interfere with basic sperm function. Conclusion: HEK293T-derived exosomes interacted with boar sperm without affecting sperm function. Exosomes represent a versatile and promising research tool for studying sperm biology and provide new options for the diagnosis and treatment of male infertility