Biological roles and potential applications of immune cell‐derived extracellular vesicles

Abstract

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) deliver bioactive macromolecules (i.e. proteins, lipids and nucleic acids) for intercellular communication in multicellular organisms. EVs are secreted by all cell types including immune cells. Immune cell-derived EVs modulate diverse aspects of the immune system to either enhance or suppress immune activities. The extensive effects of immune cell-derived EVs have become the focus of great interest for various nano-biomedical applications, ranging from the medical use of nanoplatform-based diagnostic agents to the development of therapeutic interventions as well as vaccine applications, and thus may be ideal for ‘immune-theranostic’. Here, we review the latest advances concerning the biological roles of immune cell-derived EVs in innate and acquired immunity. The intercellular communication amongst immune cells through their EVs is highlighted, showing that all immune cell-derived EVs have their unique function(s) in immunity through intricate interaction(s). Natural-killer (NK) cell-derived EVs, for example, contain potent cytotoxic proteins and induce apoptosis to targeted cancer cells. On the other hand, cancer cell-derived EVs bearing NK ligands may evade immune surveillance and responses. Finally, we discuss possible medical uses for the immune cell-derived EVs as a tool for immune-theranostic: as diagnostic biomarkers, for use in therapeutic interventions and for vaccination.

Extracellular vesicles: the growth as diagnostics and therapeutics; a survey

“…Their workshop “evRNA analysis and bioinformatics” provided guidelines to consider when performing analysis [28]. These were further expanded as minimal information for studies on EVs (MISEV) guidelines [29]. Researchers developed the EV-track crowdsourcing knowledgebase, which contains records of experimental parameters of EV-related studies [30].…”

Dendrimer size effects on the selective brain tumor targeting in orthotopic tumor models upon systemic administration

“…In contrast, the G6 levels within TAMs in glioblastoma peak at 24 hr and then drop off as they are exocytosed into the extracellular space. Further exploration of the mechanism behind this difference in TAMs retention is warranted but may arise due to G6 being carried out with the secretion of intercellular signaling extracellular vesicles from TAMs, 71,72 which may then exhibit strong interactions with the tumor extracellular matrix to result in the signal pattern observed 73 . The difference in tumor accumulation kinetics in gliosarcoma compared to glioblastoma arising from sarcomatous content may have implications for the design of dendrimer‐mediated interventions and suggests that they should be considered separately for the development of effective treatments.…”

Cellular senescence contributes to age‐dependent changes in circulating extracellular vesicle cargo and function

“…Plasma EVs have been suggested to arise, in part, from circulating cells (Wen et al, 2017). Moreover, miR-21 and miR-146a are classically associated with inflammation (Mann et al, 2017;Sheedy, 2015); thus, changes in miRNA expression may reflect increased activation of circulating cells in old mice.…”