Abstract
It is being increasingly demonstrated that extracellular vesicles (EVs) are deeply involved in the physiology of the central nervous system (CNS). Processes such as synaptic activity, neuron-glia communication, myelination and immune response are modulated by EVs. Likewise, these vesicles may participate in many pathological processes, both as triggers of disease or, on the contrary, as mechanisms of repair. EVs play relevant roles in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s diseases, in viral infections of the CNS and in demyelinating pathologies such as multiple sclerosis (MS). This review describes the involvement of these membrane vesicles in major demyelinating diseases, including MS, neuromyelitis optica, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy and demyelination associated to herpesviruses.
Highlights
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a heterogeneous group of double-layered phospholipid membrane vesicles secreted by most cell types belonging to the three domains of life, Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya [1,2,3,4]
EVs are crucially involved in the physiology and pathology of the central nervous system (CNS)
EVs isolated from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum of multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica (NMO) patients are increased compared to controls and, HSV-1, another virus associated to demyelination, may be spread enclosed in MVs, a mechanism that can permit HSV-1 to expand its tropism and evade the immune response
Summary
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a heterogeneous group of double-layered phospholipid membrane vesicles secreted by most cell types belonging to the three domains of life, Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya [1,2,3,4]. Three major categories of EVs can be broadly established: apoptotic bodies, microvesicles (MVs) and exosomes, distinguishable by their size, markers, biogenesis, release pathways and function [20]. Exosomes are the intraluminal vesicles released to the extracellular space after fusion of multivesicular bodies (MVBs) with the cell membrane [26]. They have a typical diameter of 30–100 nm and are enriched in tetraspanins such as CD9, CD63 and CD81, and endosomal markers including TSG101 and Alix [27]. We will describe the role of EVs in diseases of the central nervous system (CNS), focusing on current knowledge about the involvement of EVs in demyelinating processes
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