Outer membrane vesicles function as offensive weapons in host-parasite interactions

Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), ubiquitously shed from Gram-negative bacteria, contain various virulence factors such as toxins, proteases, adhesins, and lipopolysaccharide, which are utilized to establish a colonization niche, modulate host defense and response, and impair host cell function. Thus, OMVs can be considered as a type of bacterial offensive weapon. This review discusses the entry mechanism of OMVs into host cells as well as their etiological roles in host-parasite interactions. (C) 2010 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.