Extracellular vesicles in Alzheimer's disease: friends or foes? Focus on aβ-vesicle interaction

Int J Mol Sci. 2015 Mar 3;16(3):4800-13. doi: 10.3390/ijms16034800.

Abstract

The intercellular transfer of amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau proteins has received increasing attention in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Among other transfer modes, Aβ and tau dissemination has been suggested to occur through release of Extracellular Vesicles (EVs), which may facilitate delivery of pathogenic proteins over large distances. Recent evidence indicates that EVs carry on their surface, specific molecules which bind to extracellular Aβ, opening the possibility that EVs may also influence Aβ assembly and synaptotoxicity. In this review we focus on studies which investigated the impact of EVs in Aβ-mediated neurodegeneration and showed either detrimental or protective role for EVs in the pathology.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease / metabolism
  • Alzheimer Disease / pathology*
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / metabolism*
  • Cell-Derived Microparticles / metabolism*
  • Exosomes / metabolism
  • Humans
  • tau Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • tau Proteins