Defensosomes: a new role for autophagy proteins in innate immune defense.
Krystal L ChingVictor J TorresKen H CadwellPublished in: Autophagy (2022)
In recent years, the contribution of exosomes to immunity, inflammation and host-pathogen interaction have been appreciated. Exosomes are small secreted extracellular vesicles from endosomal origin that contain a myriad of cellular molecules (protein, nucleic acids), including surface receptors. We have reported a pathogen-induced and macroautophagy/autophagy-dependent class of exosomes coined as "defensosomes", which protect the host from membrane-targeting toxins. In a recent study, we found that defensosomes decorated with ACE2, the SARS-CoV-2 cellular receptor, are produced in the lungs of patients with COVID-19, and that increased concentration of ACE2-loaded defensosomes is associated with decreased hospitalization length. Mechanistically, SARS-CoV-2 induces the production of ACE2-coated defensosomes, a process requiring the autophagy machinery, which in turn binds and neutralizes the virus. We propose that defensosomes represent a new form of autophagy-mediated innate immunity that contributes to the host's armamentarium against pathogens.
Keyphrases
- sars cov
- cell death
- oxidative stress
- endoplasmic reticulum stress
- innate immune
- mesenchymal stem cells
- signaling pathway
- stem cells
- angiotensin ii
- angiotensin converting enzyme
- diabetic rats
- cancer therapy
- respiratory syndrome coronavirus
- candida albicans
- drug delivery
- high glucose
- binding protein
- drug induced
- fluorescent probe
- endothelial cells
- small molecule
- antimicrobial resistance
- gram negative
- sensitive detection
- gold nanoparticles
- living cells