Abstract
Exosomes are small vesicles that were initially thought to be a mechanism for discarding unneeded membrane proteins from reticulocytes. Their mediation of intercellular communication appears to be associated with several biological functions. Current studies have shown that most mammalian cells undergo the process of exosome formation and utilize exosome‐mediated cell communication. Exosomes contain various microRNAs, mRNAs and proteins. They have been reported to mediate multiple functions, such as antigen presentation, immune escape and tumour progression. This concise review highlights the findings regarding the roles of exosomes in liver diseases, particularly hepatitis B, hepatitis C, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. However, further elucidation of the contributions of exosomes to intercellular information transmission is needed. The potential medical applications of exosomes in liver diseases seem practical and will depend on the ingenuity of future investigators and their insights into exosome‐mediated biological processes.
Highlights
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are two types of viruses that infect the liver and replicate in hepatocytes [1]
More and more studies have revealed the roles of exosomes in liver diseases
Current studies have presented the multiple functions of exosomes in liver diseases
Summary
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are two types of viruses that infect the liver and replicate in hepatocytes [1]. Some of them develop progressive chronic liver diseases (CLD), including hepatitis, fibrosis, cirrhosis and even hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) [4]. 80% of HCC cases are associated with chronic HBV or HCV infection and liver cirrhosis [9]. The literature increasingly indicates that exosomes may be secreted by tumour cells to promote tumour progression or suppress immune responses to tumours [30,31,32,33].
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