Two protein spots. White bars represent 0 h and grey bars represent 120 h (day 5). The exosomes appeared to contain significant amounts of CCL5 (RANTES) immediately after the addition of exosomes (at 0 h) since the supernatants showed relatively large amounts of RANTES. These levels were decreased at day five. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0049723.g(Malvern Instruments, UK) according to the manufacturer’s instructions.Stimulation of CD3+ T cellsNon-stimulated CD3+ T cells were plated in 6- or 24-well plates (Sarstedt, Sweden) at a density of 16106 cells/ml for proliferation,Supernatants were harvested at day 0, immediately after addition of exosomes, and at day 5 from CD3+ T cells stimulated with IL-2 alone, exosomes alone or IL-2+exosomes. The culture supernatants were centrifuged for 5 min at 157006g to remove cell debris and particles. Protein concentrations of the supernatants were determined by DC Protein Assay (Bio-Rad, Sweden). Analysis of cytokines in the supernatant was carried out using Proteome ProfilerTMArray, Human Cytokine Array Panel A (cat#ARY005, R D Systems Europe) according to manufacturer’s instructions. The supernatants were sonicated for 5 minutes in a 65uC water bath to release exosome proteins. Volumes corresponding to 1.5 mg protein were diluted and mixed with a cocktail of biotinylated detection antibodies. The mix was incubated with the array membrane to allow cytokine antibody complexes in the sample to bind to anti-cytokine antibodies captured on the membrane. After washing away unbound material a streptavidin-HRP complex was added 
for detection of the antibody-protein complexes on the membrane. Detection of arrayProliferation of T Cells with IL2 and ExosomesFigure 4. A comparison of cytokines and chemokines present in the supernatant of CD3+ T cells pulsed with IL-2, exosomes or IL2+exosomes. Fold changes in the production of cytokines, chemokines and other proteins after five days. 15755315 T cells stimulated with IL-2 or exosomes had different expression of cytokines and chemokines. Samples stimulated with “exosomes+IL-20 generated secretion of more cytokines and chemokines compared to samples stimulated with either IL-2 or exosomes alone. A significant decrease could be noticed for CCL5 in ZK-36374 chemical information cultures stimulated with exosomes only. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0049723.gspots was performed using Amersham ECL-Prime reagents (GE Healthcare Life Sciences, VWR Sweden). Chemiluminescence was 79831-76-8 supplier measured with Molecular Imager ChemiDoc XRS system. Quantification of the intensity of the spots was made using Quantity One software (Bio-Rad).Results Characterization of Exosomes from Stimulated CD3+ T cellsWe first investigated the potential presence of exosomes in supernatants from CD3+cells stimulated with CD3 and CD28 antibodies together with IL-2. Exosome isolation was performed asProliferation of T Cells with IL2 and ExosomesTable 1. Human cytokine array (Cytokines).CytokineAlternate Name IL-2 Up-reg. Down-reg. Exosomes Up-reg. Down-reg. 1x 2x 8x 3x 2x 17x 0.1x 0.5x 0 10x 7x 2x 1x 1x 1x 1x 18x 0,1x 1x 3x 5x 1x 3x 8x 2x 13x 1x 1x 3x 6x 1x 2x 1x 1x 1x 0.4x 12x 2x 0.2x 1x 1x 1x 22x 2x 2x 0.4x 2x 2x 1x 1x 0.3x 1x 1x 1x 21x 4x 0.5x 0 17x 8x 1x IL-2+Exosomes Up-reg. 1x 1x 1x 1x Down-reg.IL-1a IL-1b IL1RA IL-2 IL-4 IL-5 IL-6 IL-10 IL-12A IL-13 IL-16 IL-17 IL-17E IL-23A IL-27 IL-32a GM-CSF G-CSF IFN-c TNF-a MIF CD40 ligandIL-1F1 IL-1F2 IL-1F3 TCGF BCGF-1 EDF BSF2 CSIF CLMF?LCF IL17A IL-25 ?IL-27-A ?CSF2 CSF3 Type II IFN TNFSF2 GIF, DER6 CD2xF.Two protein spots. White bars represent 0 h and grey bars represent 120 h (day 5). The exosomes appeared to contain significant amounts of CCL5 (RANTES) immediately after the addition of exosomes (at 0 h) since the supernatants showed relatively large amounts of RANTES. These levels were decreased at day five. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0049723.g(Malvern Instruments, UK) according to the manufacturer’s instructions.Stimulation of CD3+ T cellsNon-stimulated CD3+ T cells were plated in 6- or 24-well plates (Sarstedt, Sweden) at a density of 16106 cells/ml for proliferation,Supernatants were harvested at day 0, immediately after addition of exosomes, and at day 5 from CD3+ T cells stimulated with IL-2 alone, exosomes alone or IL-2+exosomes. The culture supernatants were centrifuged for 5 min at 157006g to remove cell debris and particles. Protein concentrations of the supernatants were determined by DC Protein Assay (Bio-Rad, Sweden). Analysis of cytokines in the supernatant was carried out using Proteome ProfilerTMArray, Human Cytokine Array Panel A (cat#ARY005, R D Systems Europe) according to manufacturer’s instructions. The supernatants were sonicated for 5 minutes in a 65uC water bath to release exosome proteins. Volumes corresponding to 1.5 mg protein were diluted and mixed with a cocktail of biotinylated detection antibodies. The mix was incubated with the array membrane to allow cytokine antibody complexes in the sample to bind to anti-cytokine antibodies captured on the membrane. After washing away unbound material a streptavidin-HRP complex was added for detection of the antibody-protein complexes on the membrane. Detection of arrayProliferation of T Cells with IL2 and ExosomesFigure 4. A comparison of cytokines and chemokines present in the supernatant of CD3+ T cells pulsed with IL-2, exosomes or IL2+exosomes. Fold changes in the production of cytokines, chemokines and other proteins after five days. 15755315 T cells stimulated with IL-2 or exosomes had different expression of cytokines and chemokines. Samples stimulated with “exosomes+IL-20 generated secretion of more cytokines and chemokines compared to samples stimulated with either IL-2 or exosomes 
alone. A significant decrease could be noticed for CCL5 in cultures stimulated with exosomes only. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0049723.gspots was performed using Amersham ECL-Prime reagents (GE Healthcare Life Sciences, VWR Sweden). Chemiluminescence was measured with Molecular Imager ChemiDoc XRS system. Quantification of the intensity of the spots was made using Quantity One software (Bio-Rad).Results Characterization of Exosomes from Stimulated CD3+ T cellsWe first investigated the potential presence of exosomes in supernatants from CD3+cells stimulated with CD3 and CD28 antibodies together with IL-2. Exosome isolation was performed asProliferation of T Cells with IL2 and ExosomesTable 1. Human cytokine array (Cytokines).CytokineAlternate Name IL-2 Up-reg. Down-reg. Exosomes Up-reg. Down-reg. 1x 2x 8x 3x 2x 17x 0.1x 0.5x 0 10x 7x 2x 1x 1x 1x 1x 18x 0,1x 1x 3x 5x 1x 3x 8x 2x 13x 1x 1x 3x 6x 1x 2x 1x 1x 1x 0.4x 12x 2x 0.2x 1x 1x 1x 22x 2x 2x 0.4x 2x 2x 1x 1x 0.3x 1x 1x 1x 21x 4x 0.5x 0 17x 8x 1x IL-2+Exosomes Up-reg. 1x 1x 1x 1x Down-reg.IL-1a IL-1b IL1RA IL-2 IL-4 IL-5 IL-6 IL-10 IL-12A IL-13 IL-16 IL-17 IL-17E IL-23A IL-27 IL-32a GM-CSF G-CSF IFN-c TNF-a MIF CD40 ligandIL-1F1 IL-1F2 IL-1F3 TCGF BCGF-1 EDF BSF2 CSIF CLMF?LCF IL17A IL-25 ?IL-27-A ?CSF2 CSF3 Type II IFN TNFSF2 GIF, DER6 CD2xF.