Horizons in Hematological Research

Extracellular Vesicles in Hematological Disorders

Anat Aharon, Annie Rebibo-Sabbah, Inna Tzoran, and Carina Levin

Abstract

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), comprised of exosomes, microparticles, apoptotic bodies, and other microvesicles, are shed from a variety of cells upon cell activation or apoptosis. EVs promote clot formation, mediate pro-inflammatory processes, transfer proteins and miRNA to cells, and induce cell signaling that regulates cell differentiation, proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis. This paper will review the contribution of EVs in hematological disorders, including hemoglobinopathies (sicklecell disease, thalassemia), paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, and hematological malignancies (lymphomas, myelomas, and acute and chronic leukemias).

Rambam Maimonides Med J 2014;5(4):e0032