Iron-loaded extracellular vesicles: angel or demon?

Abstract

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are identified as a non-classical way to mediate iron efflux except ferroportin. Interestingly, recent studies indicated that EVs pathway is a novel way involved in iron efflux. Mitochondria-derived vesicles (MDVs) are the potential mediator to load mitochondrial iron into EVs. Additionally, iron-replete cells resist excess iron-induced damage by secreting iron-loaded EVs, and the uptake of these EVs induces oxidative damage in the recipient cell. Importantly, iron-loaded EVs play a key role in aberrant iron distribution, which drives the progress of diseases like nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and neurodegenerative diseases. Herein, we summarize extant research on intracellular iron export with an emphasis on EVs and put our eyes on the relationship between iron-loaded EVs with both parent and target cells. Iron-loaded EVs will be an important avenue for later research on their vital role in iron redistribution.

Keywords:

• Extracellular vesicles
• iron
• ferroptosis
• oxidative damage
• ferritin

Acknowledgements

We thank for the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China [81872619].

Author contributions

Huimin Chen is responsible for the initial draft and all authors contribute to the final edited versions.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Data availability statement

Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analyzed during the current study.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [81872619].