Customizable bead-based platform for EV surface protein immunocapture and detection in plasma

Abstract

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are increasingly recognized as valuable biomarkers for liquid biopsy because they carry molecular signatures that reflect their cells of origin. However, EV isolation remains a challenge, and existing EV immunocapture platforms are constrained by nonspecific binding, limited flexibility, and insufficient sensitivity. Here, we present a customizable bead-based platform for the isolation and detection of specific EV populations directly from plasma. The platform combines bead-immobilized capture antibodies with fluorescent detection antibodies, enabling sensitive and multiplexed EV profiling. Optimization of bead conjugation chemistry improved antibody immobilization and reduced nonspecific background signals, enhancing assay specificity and performance. Using breast cancer-derived EVs expressing fluorescent protein, we demonstrate the detection of tumor-derived EVs in plasma at concentrations as low as 1E9 EVs/ml. Furthermore, the assay distinguished HER2- and TROP2-high from low EV populations, demonstrating its ability to detect clinically relevant differences in biomarker expression. The workflow is compatible with direct EV analysis in the unprocessed plasma samples, thereby reducing sample preparation requirements and assay complexity. These findings establish a sensitive, flexible, and scalable platform for EV biomarker analysis. The approach overcomes several limitations of current commercial bead-based technologies and may facilitate the development of customizable multiplexed EV-based assays for cancer detection, patient stratification, and disease monitoring.