title: Extracellular Vesicle Biogenesis in Helminths: More than One Route to the Surface?
abstract: The recent discovery that parasites release extracellular vesicles (EVs) that can transfer a range of effector molecules to host cells has made us re-think our understanding of the host-parasite interface. In this opinion article we consider how recent proteomics and transcriptomics studies, together with ultrastructural observations, suggest that more than one mechanism of EV biogenesis can occur in helminths. We propose that distinct EV subtypes have roles in immune modulation and repair of drug-induced damage, and put forward the case for targeting EV biogenesis pathways to achieve parasite control. In doing so we raise a number of outstanding research questions that must be addressed before this can happen.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de la Torre-Escudero
authors.affiliation: Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK.
authors.forename: Adam P S
authors.initials: APS
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.affiliation: Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK.
authors.forename: Alexzandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.affiliation: Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK.
authors.forename: Gerard P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Brennan
authors.affiliation: Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK. Electronic address: mark.robinson@qub.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Mark W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Robinson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000067128:Extracellular Vesicles / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006376:Helminths / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D020543:Proteome; D059467:Transcriptome
chemical_list: D020543:Proteome
keywords: bleb; exosome; extracellular vesicle; helminth; microvesicle