Extracellular vesicles in virus infection and pathogenesis

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Cell Biology
• Immunology

Background:

• Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites that manipulate host cell signaling pathways.
• Extracellular vesicles (EVs) mediate intercellular communication and are increasingly recognized in virus-host interactions.
• EVs can transmit viral components and influence host responses without triggering innate immunity, aiding pathogen persistence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advances in understanding virus-host communication through EVs.
• To explore the role of EVs in chronic, persistent, or latent viral infections.
• To discuss the potential of EVs as biomarkers for these infections.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of recent studies on viral EVs.
• Analysis of mechanisms by which viruses utilize EVs for communication.
• Evaluation of EV content (viral molecules, entire virions) and their functional impact.

Main Results:

• Viruses employ diverse strategies to incorporate viral molecules (e.g., microRNAs, proteins) and virions into EVs.
• EV-mediated signaling facilitates pathogen spread, disease progression, and establishment of chronic infections.
• EVs act as crucial mediators in the virus-host interaction network, promoting a favorable niche for pathogens.

Conclusions:

• Extracellular vesicles represent a significant axis for virus-host communication, particularly in chronic infections.
• Viruses have convergently evolved to exploit EV pathways for their propagation and persistence.
• EVs hold promise as diagnostic biomarkers for detecting and monitoring chronic, persistent, or latent viral infections.