The emerging role of exosomes in Alzheimer's disease

Tongmei Zhang; Sehui Ma; Junkai Lv; Xinyuan Wang; Henok Kessete Afewerky; Hao Li; Youming Lu

doi:10.1016/j.arr.2021.101321

The emerging role of exosomes in Alzheimer's disease

Ageing Res Rev. 2021 Jul:68:101321. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101321. Epub 2021 Mar 13.

Authors

Tongmei Zhang¹, Sehui Ma¹, Junkai Lv¹, Xinyuan Wang², Henok Kessete Afewerky³, Hao Li⁴, Youming Lu⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine and Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China; Wuhan Center for Brain Science, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China; Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
² Department of Pediatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
³ Wuhan Center for Brain Science, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China; Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China; Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
⁴ Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine and Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China; Wuhan Center for Brain Science, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China; Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China. Electronic address: lihhhhao@hust.edu.cn.
⁵ Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine and Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China; Wuhan Center for Brain Science, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China; Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China. Electronic address: lym@hust.edu.cn.

PMID: 33727157
DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101321

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD), manifested by memory loss and a decline in cognitive functions, is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease accounting for 60-80 % of dementia cases. But, to-date, there is no effective treatment available to slow or stop the progression of AD. Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles that carry constituents, such as functional messenger RNAs, non-coding RNAs, proteins, lipids, DNA, and other bioactive substances of their source cells. In the brain, exosomes are likely to be sourced by almost all cell types and involve in cell communication to regulate cellular functions. The yet, accumulated evidence on the roles of exosomes and their constituents in the AD pathological process suggests their significance as additional biomarkers and therapeutic targets for AD. This review summarizes the current reported research findings on exosomes roles in the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of AD.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; Diagnosis; Exosomes; Pathogenesis; Therapeutics.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Alzheimer Disease*
Biomarkers
Exosomes*
Extracellular Vesicles*
Humans
Neurodegenerative Diseases*

Substances

Biomarkers