Fig. 2

Characterization of large extracellular vesicles (lEVs) and lEV-RNA. Plasma lEVs from atrial fibrillation (AF) patients and non-AF controls were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), flow cytometry and Western blot analysis. A lEVs were visualized by TEM (scale bar: 200 nm, 50,000 × magnification). B NTA demonstrating size distribution of lEVs and comparison of concentrations across to size categories of lEVs between AF patients (n = 42) and non-AF controls (n = 42). Bar graph presented as median values. C Flow cytometry showing lEV gating strategy following standard size bead between 100 and 1300 nm. D Western blot analysis of EV markers (Alix, and CD63), contaminant lipoprotein marker (Apo A) and cardiomyocyte marker (Caveolin-3) in lEV samples from AF patients and non-AF controls. (30 µg protein per lane). E lEV-RNA and lEV-small RNA profiles were determined by using a bioanalyzer. *p < 0.05, compared with non-AF controls