title: Extracellular Vesicles: How the External and Internal Environment Can Shape Cell-To-Cell Communication.
abstract: To summarize the scientific evidence regarding the effects of environmental exposures on extracellular vesicle (EV) release and their contents. As environmental exposures might influence the aging phenotype in a very strict way, we will also report the role of EVs in the biological aging process.
  
  
  
  EV research is a new and quickly developing field. With many investigations conducted so far, only a limited number of studies have explored the potential role EVs play in the response and adaptation to environmental stimuli. The investigations available to date have identified several exposures or lifestyle factors able to modify EV trafficking including air pollutants, cigarette smoke, alcohol, obesity, nutrition, physical exercise, and oxidative stress. EVs are a very promising tool, as biological fluids are easily obtainable biological media that, if successful in identifying early alterations induced by the environment and predictive of disease, would be amenable to use for potential future preventive and diagnostic applications.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Gebouw D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
authors.forename: Kristof Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Neven
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Gebouw D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
authors.forename: Tim S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Nawrot
authors.affiliation: EPIGET - Epidemiology, Epigenetics and Toxicology Lab, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, via San Barnaba 8, 20122, Milan, Italy. valentina.bollati@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bollati
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D000067128:Extracellular Vesicles / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: Aging; Environmental exposures; Exosomes; Extracellular vesicles; Microvesicles