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Exosomes and COVID-19: challenges and opportunities
Ghader Babaei1, Nasrin Zare1, Aynaz Mihanfar1
1Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
Insights
Exosomes, tiny vesicles, may play a role in COVID-19 infection spread and severity. Research explores their potential as therapeutic delivery systems for treating coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Sciences
- Molecular Biology
- Virology
Background:
- Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presents a global health crisis, necessitating understanding of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection mechanisms.
- Exosomes, as extracellular vesicles, are implicated in disease pathogenesis and intercellular communication, suggesting a potential role in COVID-19.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the biogenesis and contents of exosomes.
- To elucidate the function of exosomes in viral infections, particularly SARS-CoV-2.
- To explore the therapeutic potential of exosomes in managing COVID-19.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on exosome biology and their role in viral pathogenesis.
- Analysis of current research on exosome involvement in SARS-CoV-2 infection.
- Evaluation of exosomes as therapeutic agents or drug delivery vehicles for COVID-19.
Main Results:
- Exosomes are involved in the pathogenesis of various diseases, including viral infections.
- Exosomes may facilitate the transfer of SARS-CoV-2 components, contributing to infection spread.
- Exosomes show promise as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic strategies for COVID-19.
Conclusions:
- Understanding exosome function in COVID-19 is crucial for developing effective treatments.
- Exosomes represent a potential therapeutic avenue for COVID-19, either directly or as drug carriers.
- Further research into exosome-host interactions in SARS-CoV-2 infection is warranted.
Abstract:
Coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19, starting from Wuhan, China, in December 2019, is a pandemic situation affecting millions worldwide and has exerted a huge burden on healthcare infrastructure. Therefore, there is an urgent need to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and design novel effective therapeutic strategies for combating this pandemic. In this regard, special attention has been paid to the exosomes. These nanoparticles are extracellular vesicles with critical function in the pathogenesis of several diseases including viral sepsis. Therefore, they may be involved in the pathogenesis of COVID-19 infection and also may be a way for transferring viral components and infecting other neighbor cells. Exosomes also can be considered as a therapeutic strategy for treating COVID-19 patients or used as a carrier for delivering effective therapeutic agents. Therefore, in this review, we discussed the biogenesis and contents of exosomes, their function in viral infection, and their potential as a therapeutic candidate in treating COVID-19.
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