Exosomes: A Key Piece in Asthmatic Inflammation

Abstract

Asthma is a chronic disease of the airways that has an important inflammatory component. Multiple cells are implicated in asthma pathogenesis (lymphocytes, eosinophils, mast cells, basophils, neutrophils), releasing a wide variety of cytokines. These cells can exert their inflammatory functions throughout extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are small vesicles released by donor cells into the extracellular microenvironment that can be taken up by recipient cells. Depending on their size, EVs can be classified as microvesicles, exosomes, or apoptotic bodies. EVs are heterogeneous spherical structures secreted by almost all cell types. One of their main functions is to act as transporters of a wide range of molecules, such as proteins, lipids, and microRNAs (miRNAs), which are single-stranded RNAs of approximately 22 nucleotides in length. Therefore, exosomes could influence several physiological and pathological processes, including those involved in asthma. They can be detected in multiple cell types and biofluids, providing a wealth of information about the processes that take account in a pathological scenario. This review thus summarizes the most recent insights concerning the role of exosomes from different sources (several cell populations and biofluids) in one of the most prevalent respiratory diseases, asthma.

Lipopolysaccharide-activated macrophages regulate the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells through exosomes

“…Studies have shown that exosomes are involved in many inflammatory processes, such as acute lung injury, inflammatory bowel disease, and asthma inflammation. ( Canas et al, 2021 ; Monsel et al, 2016 ; Zhang et al, 2019 ). We therefore hypothesized that exosomes play a role in the crosstalk between macrophages and BMSCs under inflammatory stimulation.…”

The Potential of Exosomes in Allergy Immunotherapy

“…Interestingly, it was shown that TSLP-activated DCs release OX40L expressing exosomes that drive CD4+ TH2 proliferation and differentiation [66]. Exosomes are involved in asthmatic inflammation which has been reviewed in depth by Cañas et al [67]. MicroRNAs seem to play a significant role in the asthmatic process, which was supported by findings that miRNA is differentially expressed in the sputum of asthma patients [68,69].…”

The emerging role of exosomes in innate immunity, diagnosis and therapy

“…The exosomes produced by T cells activate and degranulate mast cells and release cytokines, leading to tissue remodeling and airway hyper-responsiveness ( 99 ). Similarly, exosomes released by B lymphocytes transport specific molecules of antigen-presenting cells, enabling these exosomes to present the antigen to induce T-cell responses and release IL-5 and IL-13 cytokines ( 100 ).…”