For more than two decades, scientists have been trying to explore the biology and functions of extracellular vesicles (EVs) that encompass different classes of membranous nanoparticles produced and released by virtually all cells of living organisms. As crucial conveyors of a variety of bioactive proteins, lipids and nucleic acids that could be both encapsulated or surface-expressed, EVs play an important role in intercellular communication, providing an evolutionarily conserved signaling modality in homeostasis and in pathological conditions. Importantly, growing evidence suggests that EVs could target desired acceptor cell specifically with the use of antigen-antibody or receptor-ligand interactions, which greatly expands the possibilities of EV’s therapeutic applications. Increasing incidence of cancer and immune-related pathologies, including allergic and autoimmune diseases, urges researchers and clinicians to search for new and efficient treatments. Thus at present, the immunomodulatory properties of EVs are extensively investigated to uncover the EV-mediated signaling pathways, which would greatly support the attempts to develop personalized therapies.
By establishing this Frontiers Research Topic we would like to provide a platform for organizing the recent findings and future perspectives on EV’s biology and functions in modulation of various immune processes with the special focus on tumor-related immunity as well as on allergic and autoimmune responses. Our goal is to present and discuss the new research discoveries in a way that will form future directions to clinical practice. We gladly welcome contributions from investigators across biological and medical disciplines (including basic and clinical immunology, immunopathology, allergology, rheumatology, oncology), whose recent research lends insight into EV’s biology and functions as well as into regulation of EV-mediated intercellular signaling, relevant to the abovementioned pathologies especially. All interested researchers are cordially invited to submit their original research articles as well as other publication types, including review and perspective articles, that will cover a broad spectrum of basic research findings of EV-mediated immune modulation with their possible clinical applications.
Areas to be covered in this Research Topic may include, but are not limited to:
• Role of EVs and EV-transferred cargo in immune cell functioning
• Regulation of EV-mediated signaling in immunity
• Silencing/enhancing the immune activity of EV-transmitted cargo
• Possibilities to manipulate EVs for therapeutic applications
• Strategies to selectively or specifically direct EVs towards chosen target cells
For more than two decades, scientists have been trying to explore the biology and functions of extracellular vesicles (EVs) that encompass different classes of membranous nanoparticles produced and released by virtually all cells of living organisms. As crucial conveyors of a variety of bioactive proteins, lipids and nucleic acids that could be both encapsulated or surface-expressed, EVs play an important role in intercellular communication, providing an evolutionarily conserved signaling modality in homeostasis and in pathological conditions. Importantly, growing evidence suggests that EVs could target desired acceptor cell specifically with the use of antigen-antibody or receptor-ligand interactions, which greatly expands the possibilities of EV’s therapeutic applications. Increasing incidence of cancer and immune-related pathologies, including allergic and autoimmune diseases, urges researchers and clinicians to search for new and efficient treatments. Thus at present, the immunomodulatory properties of EVs are extensively investigated to uncover the EV-mediated signaling pathways, which would greatly support the attempts to develop personalized therapies.
By establishing this Frontiers Research Topic we would like to provide a platform for organizing the recent findings and future perspectives on EV’s biology and functions in modulation of various immune processes with the special focus on tumor-related immunity as well as on allergic and autoimmune responses. Our goal is to present and discuss the new research discoveries in a way that will form future directions to clinical practice. We gladly welcome contributions from investigators across biological and medical disciplines (including basic and clinical immunology, immunopathology, allergology, rheumatology, oncology), whose recent research lends insight into EV’s biology and functions as well as into regulation of EV-mediated intercellular signaling, relevant to the abovementioned pathologies especially. All interested researchers are cordially invited to submit their original research articles as well as other publication types, including review and perspective articles, that will cover a broad spectrum of basic research findings of EV-mediated immune modulation with their possible clinical applications.
Areas to be covered in this Research Topic may include, but are not limited to:
• Role of EVs and EV-transferred cargo in immune cell functioning
• Regulation of EV-mediated signaling in immunity
• Silencing/enhancing the immune activity of EV-transmitted cargo
• Possibilities to manipulate EVs for therapeutic applications
• Strategies to selectively or specifically direct EVs towards chosen target cells