title: Emerging roles for extracellular vesicles in parasitic infections.
abstract: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are released by cells and contain a complex mixture of proteins, genetic information and lipids. EVs mediate cell:cell communication by transferring their molecular cargo between cells. EVs, initially discovered in mammalian systems, have been demonstrated to play critical role in immunology and cancer biology. More recently, EVs have been identified in a broad range of both unicellular and multicellular parasites. In this review we focus on the emerging roles for EVs in parasitic infections. Parasite-derived EVs can transfer virulence factors and drug-resistance markers, modify host cell gene expression and promote parasite adherence and host cell proliferation. EVs can also suppress or stimulate host immune responses. Thus, EVs are likely important in determining the outcome of parasitic infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marti
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States. Electronic address: johnsonp@ucla.edu.
authors.forename: Patricia J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000469:parasitology; D000067128:Extracellular Vesicles / Q000502:physiology*; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000502:physiology*; D007891:Leishmania / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014246:Trichomonas vaginalis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014345:Trypanosoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D037521:Virulence Factors
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D037521:Virulence Factors