1.Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5880, USA ;2.Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA ;3.Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA ;4.Therapeutic Chemistry Department, Pharmaceutical and Drug Industries Research Division, National Research Centre, Giza, Egypt ;5.Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Technology, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University, Bathinda, PB, India ;6.Center for Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA ;7.School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK ;8.Department of Biological Sciences, P. D. Patel Institute of Applied Sciences (PDPIAS), Charotar University of Science and Technology (CHARUSAT), Changa, Anand, Gujarat, 388421, India ;9.Department of Medicine, Stanford Medical School, Stanford University, 94304, Palo Alto, CA, USA ;10.Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Department of Radiology, Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, Stanford University, 94304, Palo Alto, CA, USA ;11.Departments of Diagnostic Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, and Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, 21201, Baltimore, MD, USA ;
Abstract:
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are the common designation for ectosomes, microparticles and microvesicles serving dominant roles in intercellular communication. Both viable and dying cells release EVs to the extracellular environment for transfer of cell, immune and infectious materials. Defined morphologically as lipid bi-layered structures EVs show molecular, biochemical, distribution, and entry mechanisms similar to viruses within cells and tissues. In recent years their functional capacities have been harnessed to deliver biomolecules and drugs and immunological agents to specific cells and organs of interest or disease. Interest in EVs as putative vaccines or drug delivery vehicles are substantial. The vesicles have properties of receptors nanoassembly on their surface. EVs can interact with specific immunocytes that include antigen presenting cells (dendritic cells and other mononuclear phagocytes) to elicit immune responses or affect tissue and cellular homeostasis or disease. Due to potential advantages like biocompatibility, biodegradation and efficient immune activation, EVs have gained attraction for the development of treatment or a vaccine system against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2) infection. In this review efforts to use EVs to contain SARS CoV-2 and affect the current viral pandemic are discussed. An emphasis is made on mesenchymal stem cell derived EVs’ as a vaccine candidate delivery system.