Emerging roles of exosomes in normal and pathological conditions. New insights for diagnosis and therapeutic applications.

DE TORO J; HERSCHLIK L; WALDNER C; MONGINI, C

Frontiers in Immunology

Frontiers Media S.A

Año: 2015

From the time when they were first described in the 1970s by the group of Johnstoneand Stahl, exosomes are a target of constant research. Exosomes belong tothe family of nanovesicles which are of great interest for their many functions andpotential for diagnosis and therapy in multiples diseases. Exosomes originate fromthe intraluminal vesicles of late endosomal compartments named multivesicular bodiesand the fusion of these late endosomes with the cell membrane result in the releaseof the vesicles into the extracellular compartment. Moreover, their generation can beinduced by many factors including extracellular stimuli, such as microbial attack andother stress conditions. The primary role attributed to exosomes was the removal ofunnecessary proteins from the cells. Now, several studies have demonstrated thatexosomes are involved in cell?cell communication, even though their biological function isnot completely clear. The participation of exosomes in cancer is the field of microvesicleresearch that has expanded more over the last years. Evidence proving that exosomesderived from tumor-pulsed dendritic cells, neoplastic cells, and malignant effusionsare able to present antigens to T-cells, has led to numerous studies using them ascell-free cancer vaccines. Because exosomes derive from all cell types, they containproteins, lipids, and micro RNA capable of regulating a variety of target genes. Muchresearch is being conducted, which focuses on the employment of these vesiclesas biomarkers in the diagnosis of cancer in addition to innovative biomarkers fordiagnosis, prognosis, and management of cardiovascular diseases. Interesting findingsindicating the role of exosomes in the pathogenesis of several diseases haveencouraged researchers to consider their therapeutic potential not only in oncologybut also in the treatment of autoimmune syndromes and neurodegenerative disorderssuch as Alzheimer?s and Parkinson?s disease, in addition to infectious diseases suchas tuberculosis, diphtheria, and toxoplasmosis as well as infections caused by prionsor viruses such as HIV. The aim of this review is to disclose the emerging roles ofexosomes in normal and pathological conditions and to discuss their potential therapeutic