title: Exosomes and their role in CNS viral infections.
abstract: Exosomes are small membrane-bound vesicles that carry biological macromolecules from the site of production to target sites either in the microenvironment or at distant sites away from the origin. Exosomal content of cells varies with the cell type that produces them as well as environmental factors that alter the normal state of the cell such as viral infection. Human DNA and RNA viruses alter the composition of host proteins as well as incorporate their own viral proteins and other cargo into the secreted exosomes. While numerous viruses can infect various cell types of the CNS and elicit damaging neuropathologies, few have been studied for their exosomal composition, content, and function on recipient cells. Therefore, there is a pressing need to understand how DNA and RNA viral infections in CNS control exosomal release. Some of the more recent studies including HIV-1, HTLV-1, and EBV-infected B cells indicate that exosomes from these infections contain viral miRNAs, viral transactivators, and a host of cytokines that can control the course of infection. Finally, because exosomes can serve as vehicles for the cellular delivery of proteins and RNA and given that the blood-brain barrier is a formidable challenge in delivering therapeutics to the brain, exosomes may be able to serve as ideal vehicles to deliver protein or RNA-based therapeutics to the brain.
authors.affiliation: National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases, and School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Manassas, Virginia, United States of America.
authors.forename: Gavin C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Sampey
authors.affiliation: National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases, and School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Manassas, Virginia, United States of America.
authors.forename: Shabana S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Meyering
authors.affiliation: National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases, and School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Manassas, Virginia, United States of America.
authors.forename: Mohammad Asad
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Zadeh
authors.affiliation: National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases, and School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Manassas, Virginia, United States of America.
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saifuddin
authors.affiliation: National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases, and School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Manassas, Virginia, United States of America.
authors.forename: Ramin M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Hakami
authors.affiliation: National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases, and School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Manassas, Virginia, United States of America.
authors.forename: Fatah
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kashanchi
mesh_terms: D015526:AIDS Dementia Complex / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D020805:Central Nervous System Viral Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D055354:Exosomes / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D012367:RNA, Viral
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral