Impact of extracellular vesicles on innate immunity

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Purpose of review Extracellular vesicles released by prokaryote or eukaryote cells are emerging as mechanisms of cell-to-cell communication, by either physically interacting with the surface of target cells or transferring proteins/peptides, lipids, carbohydrates, and nuclei acids to acceptor cells. Accumulating evidence indicates that extracellular vesicles, among other functions, regulate innate and adaptive immune responses. We revisit here the effects that extracellular vesicles of various origins have on innate immunity. Recent findings Extracellular vesicles comprise a heterogeneous group of vesicles with different biogenesis, composition and biological properties, which include exosomes, microvesicles, apoptotic cell-derived extracellular vesicles, and other extracellular vesicles still not well characterized. Extracellular vesicles released by pathogens, leukocytes, nonhematopoietic cells, tumor cells, and likely allografts, can either stimulate or suppress innate immunity via multiple mechanisms. These include transfer to target leukocytes of pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory mediators, membrane receptors, enzymes, mRNAs, and noncoding RNAs; and interaction of extracellular vesicles with the complement and coagulation systems. As a result, extracellular vesicles affect differentiation, polarization, activation, tissue recruitment, cytokine and chemokine production,

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

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