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Updated: Jan 8, 2026
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Characterization of Immune Cell-derived Extracellular Vesicles and Studying Functional Impact on Cell Environment
Published on: June 2, 2020
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Volatile and non-volatile pathogen cues shape host extracellular vesicles production in pre-infection response
Klaudia Kołodziejska1,2, Agata Szczepańska1, Satya Vadlamani1,2
1Laboratory of Animal Molecular Physiology, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.
Nature Communications
|December 21, 2025
Summary
Animals detect pathogen chemicals to trigger distinct extracellular vesicle (EV) pathways. This anticipatory signaling, involving specific neurons and GPCRs, primes protective responses and enhances offspring survival.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Animals encounter pathogen cues before infection, influencing immune responses.
- Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are crucial for intercellular communication and immune regulation.
- The role of anticipatory pathogen cues in modulating EV dynamics is largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how pathogen-derived chemicals influence extracellular vesicle (EV) production and function.
- To elucidate the sensory and molecular mechanisms underlying EV responses to distinct chemical cues.
- To determine the physiological relevance of pathogen-primed EV responses.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism.
- Investigated EV production in response to volatile and non-volatile pathogen compounds.
- Employed genetic and neurobiological approaches to map sensory pathways and molecular mediators (e.g., GPCRs).
Main Results:
- Pathogen volatiles and non-volatiles trigger distinct, neuronally mediated EV production pathways.
- Non-volatile cues activate immune-dependent EV release via GPCRs (SRI-19, SRI-36/39, SRR-6), with SRR-6 regulating intestinal-muscle EV communication.
- Pre-exposure to pathogen volatiles improves offspring survival via an SRI-19-dependent mechanism, indicating intergenerational benefits.
Conclusions:
- Pathogen-derived chemical cues shape host EV production through specialized sensory circuits.
- Animals can anticipate infection by sensing chemical cues, priming protective physiological responses.
- This study reveals a novel mechanism for intergenerational immune priming mediated by chemical sensing and EVs.
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