Extracellular vesicles and diabetic kidney disease: a systematic review

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small lipid-encapsulated vesicles secreted from specific cells that can be taken up by other cells, thereby allowing for the efficient transport of macromolecules such as lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids between tissues and organs in vivo. These EVs have been found to play critical roles in normal tissue homeostasis and disease development, serving to regulate complex processes, including inflammation, immunity, and angiogenesis. At present, the leading global cause of the end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is diabetic kidney disease (DKD), with the prevalence of this latter condition being predicted to increase in the near future due to rising type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) incidence. Recent work from several research groups has highlighted a potential role for EVs in the development of DKD. The present review, therefore, serves to explore the relevance of EVs to the development, detection, and treatment of DKD in an effort to better understand this complex disease state.