Extracellular vesicles: new targets for vaccines against helminth parasites.

Extracellular vesicles: new targets for vaccines against helminth parasites. Int J Parasitol. 2020 Jul 10;: Authors: Drurey C, Coakley G, Maizels RM Abstract The hunt for effective vaccines against the major helminth diseases of humans has yet to bear fruit despite much effort over several decades. No individual parasite antigen has proved to elicit full protective immunity, suggesting that combinatorial strategies may be required. Recently it has been discovered that extracellular vesicles (EVs) released by parasitic helminths contain multiple potential immune modulators, which could together be targeted by a future vaccine. Increasing knowledge of helminth EV components, both enclosed by and exposed on the membrane, will open up a new field of targets for an effective vaccine. This review discusses the interactions between helminth EVs and the immune system discovered thus far, and the advantages of targeting these lipid-bound packages with a vaccine. In addition, we also comment upon specific antigens that may be the best targets for an anti-helminth vaccine. In the future, extensive knowledge of the parasites' full arsenal in controlling their host may finally provide us with the ideal target for a fully effective vaccine. PMID: 32659278 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - Category: Parasitology Authors: Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: research