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Review
. 2022 May 12;10(1):30.
doi: 10.1186/s40364-022-00374-4.

Immune cells-derived exosomes function as a double-edged sword: role in disease progression and their therapeutic applications

Ali Hazrati  1 , Sara Soudi  2 , Kosar Malekpour  1 , Mohammad Mahmoudi  3 , Arezou Rahimi  1 , Seyed Mahmoud Hashemi  4 , Rajender S Varma  5
Affiliations
Review

Immune cells-derived exosomes function as a double-edged sword: role in disease progression and their therapeutic applications

Ali Hazrati et al. Biomark Res. .

Abstract

Exosomes, ranging in size from 30 to 150 nm as identified initially via electron microscopy in 1946, are one of the extracellular vesicles (EVs) produced by many cells and have been the subject of many studies; initially, they were considered as cell wastes with the belief that cells produced exosomes to maintain homeostasis. Nowadays, it has been found that EVs secreted by different cells play a vital role in cellular communication and are usually secreted in both physiological and pathological conditions. Due to the presence of different markers and ligands on the surface of exosomes, they have paracrine, endocrine and autocrine effects in some cases. Immune cells, like other cells, can secrete exosomes that interact with surrounding cells via these vesicles. Immune system cells-derived exosomes (IEXs) induce different responses, such as increasing and decreasing the transcription of various genes and regulating cytokine production. This review deliberate the function of innate and acquired immune cells derived exosomes, their role in the pathogenesis of immune diseases, and their therapeutic appliances.

Keywords: Cellular medicine; Exosome; IEXs; Immune cell; Pathogenesis; Therapeutic application.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Exosome’s contents, its formation, and its capture by the target cell are shown. Interestingly, although many exosomes do not enter the phagocytic pathway and degradation, some of them are release to the cytoplasm and are destroyed by lysosomal degradation. As shown in the figure, the exosomes bind and integrate by target cell in different ways
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Interrelationship between immune cells by producing exosomes. Each immune cell secret exosomes and release them into the microenvironment. These exosomes can affect other immune cells’ functions by suppressing or activating them and so affects immune responses
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
IEX has a role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Also, these exosomes play a role in various disease treatments. As shown in the figure, IEX therapeutic application is an exciting subject used for autoimmune disease, cancer, asthma, allergy, transplantation, and infection treatment
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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