Abstract
Extracellular vesicles are a heterogeneous group of cell-derived membranous structures comprising of exosomes, apoptotic bodies, and microvesicles. Of the extracellular vesicles, exosomes are the most widely sorted and extensively explored for their contents and function. The size of the nanovesicular structures (exosomes) range from 30 to 140 nm and are present in various biological fluids such as saliva, plasma, urine etc. These cargo-laden extracellular vesicles arise from endosome-derived multivesicular bodies and are known to carry proteins and nucleic acids. Exosomes are involved in multiple physiological and pathological processes, including cellular senescence. Exosomes mediate signaling crosstalk and play a critical role in cell–cell communications. Exosomes have evolved as potential biomarkers for aging-related diseases. Aging, a physiological process, involves a progressive decline of function of organs with a loss of homeostasis and increasing probability of illness and death. The review focuses on the classic view of exosome biogenesis, biology, and age-associated changes. Owing to their ability to transport biological information among cells, the review also discusses the interplay of senescent cell-derived exosomes with the aging process, including the susceptibility of the aging population to COVID-19 infections.
Highlights
Extracellular vesicles (EVs), once considered to be cellular waste products with minimal biological or clinical significance, have evolved over time to be one of the critical mediators of intercellular communications, biomarkers for various diseases, and biovesicles for drug delivery and therapy.Extracellular vesicles are lipid bound and are secreted by different type of cells
The plasma membrane-derived lipid bilayer of EVs protects within it a diverse cargo of nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids, and they are shielded against degrading enzymes such as nucleases and proteases [9]
The studies indicate that the selective packaging of miRNAs in exosomes under pathological condition could facilitate the development of better diagnosis and treatment for cardiovascular diseases
Summary
Extracellular vesicles (EVs), once considered to be cellular waste products with minimal biological or clinical significance, have evolved over time to be one of the critical mediators of intercellular communications, biomarkers for various diseases, and biovesicles for drug delivery and therapy. Extracellular vesicles are lipid bound and are secreted by different type of cells. They form a heterogeneous group comprising mainly of exosomes, microvesicles, and apoptotic bodies [1]. The plasma membrane-derived lipid bilayer of EVs protects within it a diverse cargo of nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids, and they are shielded against degrading enzymes such as nucleases and proteases [9]. These cargos are stable under physicochemical conditions generally considered adverse for biological materials. The composition of the EVs represents a snapshot of the cell status at the time of secretion, and studies have reported that pathological states such as cancer, premature senescence, oxidative stress, and apoptosis could alter their composition [10]
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