VAMP5, also known as vesicle-associated membrane protein 5, is a member of the SNARE protein family. SNAREs generally regulate the docking and fusion of membrane vesicles within cells. VAMP5 is involved in multiple biological processes such as exosome release, phagosome formation and maturation, and extracellular vesicle-based communication. It has been studied in relation to various diseases including tuberculosis, Hirschsprung disease, and primary open-angle glaucoma [1-9].

In mice, VAMP5 knockout (KO) led to a low birth rate, low body weight, and around-birth death. Anatomical analysis of KO mice showed duplication of the ureter in viable ones and insufficient lung expansion in dead ones. VAMP5 was localized in the epithelial cells of the ureter and terminal bronchiole, suggesting its role in the urinary and respiratory systems [3]. In macrophages, overexpression or knockdown studies of VAMP5 demonstrated its participation in Fcγ receptor-mediated phagosome formation but not direct phagosome maturation [2]. In HeLa cells, depletion of VAMP5 impaired exosome release, and in polarized Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) epithelial cells, VAMP5 mediated asymmetric exosome release [1].

In conclusion, VAMP5 is crucial for processes like exosome release, phagosome formation, and extracellular vesicle-based communication. The VAMP5 KO mouse model has revealed its significance in the development and function of the urinary and respiratory systems. Additionally, its potential as a biomarker in tuberculosis and its association with Hirschsprung disease suggest its importance in disease-related research [1-2, 5-6, 8-9].