Advances and perspectives in treatments, therapies, and vaccination

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are particles formed by a lipid bilayer, released by various types of cells, plants and pathogens, with their main function being intercellular communication. EVs transport proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids and are potential candidates for clinical applications, therapies, and vaccines. EVs have been extensively studied as biomarkers for disease diagnosis and prognosis because they are found in most biological fluids and contain markers from the cell that released the particle. In the therapeutic field, modified EVs are used as drug delivery systems, offering advantages such as biocompatibility, immunogenicity, and the ability to cross biological barriers. Additionally, vaccines using EVs are being developed due to their immunomodulatory properties, which can induce protective immune responses against infectious diseases and cancer. Despite these advances, there are significant challenges, such as large-scale production, standardization, and approval by regulatory agencies. In this chapter, we describe the use of EVs as biomarkers, therapies, and vaccines against pathogens and cancer, as well as the challenges that scientists encounter in their application. Research on EVs is constantly advancing, and their use represents a revolution in precision medicine. Innovation in this field has the potential to transform diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to various diseases.