Microenvironmental Influences on Extracellular Vesicle-Mediated Communication in the Lung

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are increasingly appreciated as important vectors of information transmission between cells. Most research on EVs has emphasized their roles in inflammatory and pathologic conditions, and in the airways and alveoli, EV secretion by various cell types is implicated in various forms of lung disease. However, recent evidence also demonstrates a homeostatic role for lung EVs by mediating transmission of anti-inflammatory signals between alveolar macrophages and lung epithelial cells. Nevertheless, our understanding of the mechanisms responsible for EV cargo packaging, stability in the extracellular milieu, and acquisition by recipient cells remains limited. Here, we review the current understanding of these mechanistic aspects of vesicular communication and their potential modulation by constituents of the unique microenvironment of the lung.