Special considerations for studies of extracellular vesicles from parasitic helminths: A community-led roadmap to increase rigour and reproducibility

Ruby White, The University of Edinburgh, Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, Edinburgh, UK.
Javier Sotillo, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, National Center for Microbiology, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain.
María Eugenia Ancarola, Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Anne Borup, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
Anders Toftegaard Boysen, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
Paul J. Brindley, George Washington University, Microbiology, Immunology & Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Washington, D.C., USA.
Edit I. Buzás, ELKH-SE Immune Proteogenomics Extracellular Vesicle Research Group, Budapest, Hungary.
Serena Cavallero, Department of Public health and infectious diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Sujittra Chaiyadet, Tropical Medicine Graduate Program, Academic Affairs, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
Iain W. Chalmers, Aberystwyth University, Institute of Biological, Environmental & Rural Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth Ceredigion, Wales, UK.
Marcela A. Cucher, Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Maude Dagenais, McGill University, Institute of Parasitology, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada.
Chelsea N. Davis, Aberystwyth University, Institute of Biological, Environmental & Rural Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth Ceredigion, Wales, UK.
Eileen Devaney, University of Glasgow, Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, Glasgow, UK.
Maria A. Duque-Correa, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Parasites and Microbes, Cambridge, UK.
Ramon Marc Eichenberger, University of Zurich, Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, Zurich, Switzerland.
Santiago Fontenla, Universidad de la República, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Genetica, Montevideo, Uruguay.
Thomas A. Gasan, Queen's University Belfast, School of Biological Sciences, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK.
Cornelis H. Hokke, Leiden University Medical Center, Parasitology, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Maja Kosanovic, Institute for the Application of Nuclear Energy, INEP, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
Marije E. Kuipers, Leiden University Medical Center, Parasitology, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Thewarach Laha, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
Alex Loukas, James Cook University, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, Cairns, Queensland, Australia.
Rick M. Maizels, University of Glasgow, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, Glasgow, UK.
Antonio Marcilla, Universitat de València, Departamento Farmacia y Tecnología Farmacéutica y Parasitología, Área de Parasitología, Burjsassot, Valencia, Spain.
Hynek Mazanec, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
Russell M. Morphew, Aberystwyth University, Institute of Biological, Environmental & Rural Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth Ceredigion, Wales, UK.
Kyriaki Neophytou, The University of Edinburgh, Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, Edinburgh, UK.
Linh Thuy Nguyen, Department of Biochemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
Esther Nolte-'t Hoen, Utrecht University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Biomolecular Health Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Michael Povelones, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Pathobiology, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Mark W. Robinson, Queen's University Belfast, School of Biological Sciences, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

1-1-2023

Journal

Journal of extracellular vesicles

Volume

12

Issue

1

DOI

10.1002/jev2.12298

Keywords

EV guidelines; EV reporting; electron microscopy; extracellular vesicles; helminths; parasites

Abstract

Over the last decade, research interest in defining how extracellular vesicles (EVs) shape cross-species communication has grown rapidly. Parasitic helminths, worm species found in the phyla Nematoda and Platyhelminthes, are well-recognised manipulators of host immune function and physiology. Emerging evidence supports a role for helminth-derived EVs in these processes and highlights EVs as an important participant in cross-phylum communication. While the mammalian EV field is guided by a community-agreed framework for studying EVs derived from model organisms or cell systems [e.g., Minimal Information for Studies of Extracellular Vesicles (MISEV)], the helminth community requires a supplementary set of principles due to the additional challenges that accompany working with such divergent organisms. These challenges include, but are not limited to, generating sufficient quantities of EVs for descriptive or functional studies, defining pan-helminth EV markers, genetically modifying these organisms, and identifying rigorous methodologies for in vitro and in vivo studies. Here, we outline best practices for those investigating the biology of helminth-derived EVs to complement the MISEV guidelines. We summarise community-agreed standards for studying EVs derived from this broad set of non-model organisms, raise awareness of issues associated with helminth EVs and provide future perspectives for how progress in the field will be achieved.

Department

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine

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