Journal Article

Extracellular Vesicles in Viral Liver Diseases

Kouroumalis, Elias, Tsomidis, Ioannis, Voumvouraki, Argyro

2024

Overview

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are bilayer vesicles released by cells in the microenvironment of the liver including parenchymal and non-parenchymal cells. They are the third important mechanism in the communications between cells, besides the secretion of cytokines and chemokines and the direct cell-to-cell contact. The aim of this review is to discuss the important role of EVs in viral liver disease, as there is increasing evidence that the transportation of viral proteins, all types of RNA, and viral particles including complete virions is implicated in the pathogenesis of both viral cirrhosis and viral-related hepatocellular carcinoma. The biogenesis of EVs is discussed and their role in the pathogenesis of viral liver diseases is presented. Their use as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers is also analyzed. Most importantly, the significance of possible novel treatment strategies for liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma is presented, although available data are based on experimental evidence and clinical trials have not been reported.

• Publisher: MDPI AG,MDPI
• Subject: Analysis / Animals / Biological markers / Biomarkers / Biosynthesis / Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - metabolism / Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - virology / Chemokines / Chronic illnesses / Cirrhosis / Clinical trials / Dendritic cells / Development and progression / exosomes / Extracellular matrix / Extracellular vesicles / Extracellular Vesicles - metabolism / Fibrosis / Health aspects / Hepatitis A / Hepatitis B / hepatitis C / Hepatocellular carcinoma / Hepatocytes / Humans / Lipids / Liver - metabolism / Liver - pathology / Liver - virology / Liver cancer / Liver Cirrhosis - metabolism / Liver Cirrhosis - pathology / Liver Cirrhosis - virology / Liver diseases / Liver Diseases - metabolism / Liver Diseases - virology / liver fibrosis / Liver Neoplasms - metabolism / Liver Neoplasms - virology / Microenvironments / MicroRNAs / miRNAs / Mortality / Pathogenesis / Physiology / Protein transport / Proteins / Review / Risk factors / Viral proteins / Virions / Virus diseases / Virus Diseases - metabolism / Virus Diseases - virology