This study explores how high technology companies interact with their Lead User throughout the innovation process. Thereby, the study focuses on the interaction, after a company approached their Lead User. By using existing literature on the Lead User, the process of innovating as well as the interaction with users in product development, an analytical model was developed. This model served as the basis for the interview guide as well as to present and analyse the empirical data. Due to the fact that this study looks at the Lead User interaction from a different perspective, where little knowledge exists, a qualitative strategy was pursued. In this connection, three companies within the high technology context were studied and a cross-case analysis conducted. Based on our findings, seven conclusions could be drawn. Our conclusions are that: (1) high technology companies mainly interact with the Lead User through ordinary methods; (2) the content of interaction differs in each phase; (3) the outcome of interaction in each phase is mainly the same throughout the companies; (4) there is always one function responsible for the Lead User, which is the same throughout the innovation process; (5) the main incentive for the Lead User to cooperate is intrinsic motivation; (6) the studied companies do not interact with the Lead User when launching the product; and (7) the outcome of the Lead User interaction is seen as being products of a more incremental than radical character. After presenting the conclusions, the implications were displayed. Thereby, the main implications are that companies are recommended to interact with their Lead User throughout the innovation process, in order to align their products to the Lead User’s needs and therefore to reduce the risk and uncertainty of failing on the market. In this connection, it also important for companies to get into face-to-face discussions, to get feedback and understand the needs of the Lead User. Furthermore, companies need to consider that the Lead User is intrinsic motivated, which means by allowing the Lead User to be part of the innovation process and having an influence on the development, companies do not need to provide further financial rewards. Additionally, the Lead User cannot merely be found outside the boundaries of the firm but also within the company.

Exosomes are small secreted vesicles of endocytic origin with a size range of 50-150 nm. They are secreted by many cell types and display multiple biological functions including immune-activation, immune-suppression, antigen presentation, and the shuttling of mRNA and miRNA, as well as other cargo. We have characterised the exosomes secreted from two breast cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and MCF7. Exosomes secreted from both cell lines display typical markers including ALIX, Tsg101, CD9 and CD63, and were capable of inducing apoptosis of the Jurkat T cell line, indicating the potential immune-suppressive function of such tumour-derived exosomes. To further investigate the biological potential of exosomes, we loaded purified exosomes with gene specific siRNAs using electroporation, and observed the targeted inhibition of both a known component of the exosome pathway, Rab27a, and also the arthritis associated gene ERAP1, demonstrating the potential novel use of exosomes as therapeutic gene delivery vectors. We have also shown that exosomes derived from MDA-MB-231 cells and the parental cells have different lipid composition, as analysed by lipidomics study. Nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), which allows the rapid detection of size and concentration of nanoparticles within the size range 10 nm-1000 nm was tested for its ability to accurately measure size and concentration of exosomes and microvesicles under different conditions. NTA was capable of detecting apoptotic vesicles induced by Taxol and Curcumin treatment. Immunodepletion was used to determine the percentage of CD9 and CD63 positive vesicles. Our data suggest that NTA is a useful technique for measuring size and concentration of exosomes and microvesicles. We hypothesized that NTA could assist in the screening of agents that interfere or promote exosome release. NTA was therefore used to detect increases in exosomes secretion induced by Tamoxifen and Thimerosal treatment, and to monitor the inhibition of exosome secretion from MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells expressing inhibitory RNA targeted for Rab27a, a component of the exosome pathway. Increases in exosome release induced by Tamoxifen and Thimerosal was detected by NTA and a significant reduction in the release of exosomes by inhibition of Rab27a expression was also observed. Treatment with the known exosomal pathway inhibitor DMA also reduced exosome release, establishing the principle of NTA as a screening technique. We further compared the siRNA targeted cells for their ability to migrate, invade and form anchorage-independent colonies, which were all significantly reduced. Supplementation with MDA-MB-231 derived exosomes restored the ability to form colonies, suggesting exosomes may contribute to metastatic lesion formation. These data suggest that the exosomal pathway is a valid target to disrupt the behaviour of tumour cells and NTA can be used to monitor its activity.