Research progress on the role of extracellular vesicles in neurodegenerative diseases

Zhengzhe Li; Xiaoling Wang; Xiaoxing Wang; Xiaomei Yi; Yin Kwan Wong; Jiyang Wu; Fangfang Xie; Die Hu; Qi Wang; Jigang Wang; Tianyu Zhong

doi:10.1186/s40035-023-00375-9

Research progress on the role of extracellular vesicles in neurodegenerative diseases

Transl Neurodegener. 2023 Sep 11;12(1):43. doi: 10.1186/s40035-023-00375-9.

Authors

Zhengzhe Li^#^{1

2}, Xiaoling Wang^#², Xiaoxing Wang^{1

2}, Xiaomei Yi^{1

2}, Yin Kwan Wong³, Jiyang Wu^{1

2}, Fangfang Xie², Die Hu², Qi Wang¹, Jigang Wang^{4

5

6

7}, Tianyu Zhong^{8

9}

Affiliations

¹ The First School of Clinical Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China.
² Laboratory Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China.
³ Department of Nephrology, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Kidney Diseases, and Shenzhen Clinical Research Centre for Geriatrics, Shenzhen People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518020, China.
⁴ Laboratory Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China. jgwang@icmm.ac.cn.
⁵ Department of Nephrology, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Kidney Diseases, and Shenzhen Clinical Research Centre for Geriatrics, Shenzhen People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518020, China. jgwang@icmm.ac.cn.
⁶ State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Artemisinin Research Center, and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China. jgwang@icmm.ac.cn.
⁷ Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China. jgwang@icmm.ac.cn.
⁸ The First School of Clinical Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China. zhongtianyu@gmail.com.
⁹ Laboratory Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China. zhongtianyu@gmail.com.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Huntington's disease, affect millions of people worldwide. Tremendous efforts have been put into disease-related research, but few breakthroughs have been made in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are heterogeneous cell-derived membrane structures that arise from the endosomal system or are directly separated from the plasma membrane. EVs contain many biomolecules, including proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids, which can be transferred between different cells, tissues, or organs, thereby regulating cross-organ communication between cells during normal and pathological processes. Recently, EVs have been shown to participate in various aspects of neurodegenerative diseases. Abnormal secretion and levels of EVs are closely related to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases and contribute to disease progression. Numerous studies have proposed EVs as therapeutic targets or biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we summarize and discuss the advanced research progress on EVs in the pathological processes of several neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, we outline the latest research on the roles of EVs in neurodegenerative diseases and their therapeutic potential for the diseases.

Keywords: Biomarker; Central nervous system; Extracellular vesicle; Neurodegeneration; Neurodegenerative disease; Pathogenesis.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Alzheimer Disease*
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis*
Extracellular Vesicles*
Humans
Neurodegenerative Diseases* / diagnosis
Neurodegenerative Diseases* / therapy
Parkinson Disease*