Extracellular Vesicle Biomarkers for Neurological Diseases

Different cells in the central nervous system can produce and release extracellular vesicles (EVs), which carry proteins, lipids, DNA, mRNAs, microRNAs, and other noncoding RNAs. EVs play essential roles in the physiological and pathological conditions of the central nervous system. EVs can cross the blood-brain barrier and enter circulation. Furthermore, EVs can be successfully isolated from human serum and plasma cerebrospinal fluid. EVs can also serve as potential biomarkers for multiple neurological diseases, such as neoplastic diseases, neurodegeneration, infectious diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, traumatic encephalopathy, and psychiatric disorders. EV biomarkers are stable and abundant and can be obtained using noninvasive methods; thus, EV biomarkers are promising tools for the diagnosis and treatment of neurological diseases. The study of EV biomarkers in the central nervous system is an emerging field. Further research is needed to identify specific surface markers on EVs to differentiate neurological diseases. With the development of basic EV research and improvements in detection technology, EVs, as important components of liquid biopsies, are expected to have applications as new circulating biomarkers for diagnosis and treatment monitoring in patients with neurological diseases.