The role of extracellular vesicles in the progression of neurodegenerative disease and cancer

• Exploration of the potential infectious nature of extracellular vesicles (EVs).
• Review of basic EV nature and function.
• Examination of the ability of EVs to carry pathologic species.
• Comparison of similar roles for EVs in neurodegenerative disease and cancer.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are released from many cell types, including normal and pathological cells, and range from 30 to 1000 nm in size. Once thought to be a mechanism for discarding unwanted cellular material, EVs are now thought to play a role in intercellular communication. Evidence is accruing that EVs are capable of carrying mRNAs, miRNAs, noncoding RNAs, and proteins, including those associated with neurodegenerative diseases and cancer, which may be exchanged between cells. For this reason, neurodegenerative diseases and cancers may share a common mechanism of disease spread via EVs. Understanding the role EVs play in disease initiation and progression will aid in the discovery of new clinically relevant biomarkers and the development of better targeted molecular and biological therapies.