Immunological synapse-driven transfer of extracellular vesicle microRNAs in primary lymphocytes

Abstract

Cell-to-cell communication is necessary to orchestrate effective immune responses against disease-causing agents and in homeostasis. During immune synapsis, transfer of small extracellular vesicles that contain bioactive molecules, including microRNAs, occurs from the T lymphocyte to the antigen-presenting cell. In this chapter, we describe the methodology to identify and validate specific microRNAs shuttled from T lymphocytes to B cells upon immune synapse formation, and to analyze their functional impact on post-synaptic antigen-presenting cells.

Keywords: Antigen-presenting cells; B lymphocytes; EV transfer; Extracellular vesicles; Immune synapse; MicroRNA; T lymphocytes.