Cancer is a complex, multifactorial disease, making the development of new drugs with a targeted mechanism of action crucial. Prodigiosin, a pigment with antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activity, is attracting attention as a potential active component for drug delivery systems. One promising delivery method is microvesicles (MVs), which can transport active substances to target tissues.

The aim of this study was to produce and characterize microvesicles induced in HEK 293 cells and MSCs, as well as to confirm the presence of prodigiosin in them for further use in therapeutic systems. Methods: Vesicles were obtained by incubation with cytochalasin, followed by prodigiosin loading using sonication, as well as by direct incubation of cells with prodigiosin. Protein concentration was analyzed using BCA protein quantification. Microvesicle size and concentration were measured using nanotracking analysis. Structure and morphology were examined using dark-field microscopy with hyperspectral analysis.

Results: Microvesicles were obtained from HEK 293 cells and MSCs, which had similar protein levels and abundance, and their stability was demonstrated. The MV sizes were within the range suitable for drug transport, ranging from 100-200 nm. Hyperspectral analysis confirmed the presence of prodigosin in the loaded vesicles; the reflectance spectra matched those characteristic of this pigment.

Conclusions: Microvesicles from various cell lines were obtained and characterized, demonstrating their stability and the possibility of loading active substances, such as prodigiosin. The results demonstrate the potential of using MV as a delivery system for therapeutic agents directly to tumor tissue, facilitating the development of new approaches to cancer therapy.

The study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (RSF) under grant No. 25-25-00011.