Exosomes in Vascular/Neurological Disorders and the Road Ahead
Faisal A. Alzahrani, Yasir Mohamed Riza, Thamir M. Eid, Reema Almotairi, Lea Scherschinski, J. Contreras, Muhammed Nadeem, Sylvia E. Perez, Sudhanshu P. Raikwar, Ruchira M. Jha, Mark C. Preul, Andrew F. Ducruet, Michael T. Lawton, Kanchan Bhatia, Naseem Akhter, Saif Ahmad
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Huntington's disease (HD), stroke, and aneurysms, are characterized by the abnormal accumulation and aggregation of disease-causing proteins in the brain and spinal cord. Recent research suggests that proteins linked to these conditions can be secreted and transferred among cells using exosomes. The transmission of abnormal protein buildup and the gradual degeneration in the brains of impacted individuals might be supported by these exosomes. Furthermore, it has been reported that neuroprotective functions can also be attributed to exosomes in neurodegenerative diseases. The potential neuroprotective functions may play a role in preventing the formation of aggregates and abnormal accumulation of proteins associated with the disease. The present review summarizes the roles of exosomes in neurodegenerative diseases as well as elucidating their therapeutic potential in AD, PD, ALS, HD, stroke, and aneurysms. By elucidating these two aspects of exosomes, valuable insights into potential therapeutic targets for treating neurodegenerative diseases may be provided.