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Clinical applications of stem cell-derived exosomes. Signal transduction and targeted therapy Although stem cell-based therapy has demonstrated considerable potential to manage certain diseases more successfully than conventional surgery, it nevertheless comes with inescapable drawbacks that might limit its clinical translation. Compared to stem cells, stem cell-derived exosomes possess numerous advantages, such as non-immunogenicity, non-infusion toxicity, easy access, effortless preservation, and freedom from tumorigenic potential and ethical issues. Exosomes can inherit similar therapeutic effects from their parental cells such as embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells through vertical delivery of their pluripotency or multipotency. After a thorough search and meticulous dissection of relevant literature from the last five years, we present this comprehensive, up-to-date, specialty-specific and disease-oriented review to highlight the surgical application and potential of stem cell-derived exosomes. Exosomes derived from stem cells (e.g., embryonic, induced pluripotent, hematopoietic, mesenchymal, neural, and endothelial stem cells) are capable of treating numerous diseases encountered in orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, plastic surgery, general surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, urology, head and neck surgery, ophthalmology, and obstetrics and gynecology. The diverse therapeutic effects of stem cells-derived exosomes are a hierarchical translation through tissue-specific responses, and cell-specific molecular signaling pathways. In this review, we highlight stem cell-derived exosomes as a viable and potent alternative to stem cell-based therapy in managing various surgical conditions. We recommend that future research combines wisdoms from surgeons, nanomedicine practitioners, and stem cell researchers in this relevant and intriguing research area. 10.1038/s41392-023-01704-0
The biology function and biomedical applications of exosomes. Kalluri Raghu,LeBleu Valerie S Science (New York, N.Y.) The study of extracellular vesicles (EVs) has the potential to identify unknown cellular and molecular mechanisms in intercellular communication and in organ homeostasis and disease. Exosomes, with an average diameter of ~100 nanometers, are a subset of EVs. The biogenesis of exosomes involves their origin in endosomes, and subsequent interactions with other intracellular vesicles and organelles generate the final content of the exosomes. Their diverse constituents include nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, amino acids, and metabolites, which can reflect their cell of origin. In various diseases, exosomes offer a window into altered cellular or tissue states, and their detection in biological fluids potentially offers a multicomponent diagnostic readout. The efficient exchange of cellular components through exosomes can inform their applied use in designing exosome-based therapeutics. 10.1126/science.aau6977
Exosomes in Toxicology: Relevance to Chemical Exposure and Pathogenesis of Environmentally Linked Diseases. Harischandra Dilshan S,Ghaisas Shivani,Rokad Dharmin,Kanthasamy Anumantha G Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology Chronic exposure to environmental toxins has been known to initiate or aggravate various neurological disorders, carcinomas and other adverse health effects. Uptake by naïve cells of pathogenic factors such as danger-associated molecules, mRNAs, miRNAs or aggregated proteins leads to disruption in cellular homeostasis further resulting in inflammation and disease propagation. Although early research tended to focus solely on exosomal removal of unwanted cellular contents, more recent reports indicate that these nano-vesicles play an active role in intercellular signaling. Not only is the exosomal cargo cell type-specific, but it also differs between healthy and dying cells. Moreover, following exosome uptake by naïve cells, the contents from these vesicles can alter the fate of recipient cells. Since exosomes can traverse long distances, they can influence distantly located cells and tissues. This review briefly explores the role played by environmental toxins in stimulating exosome release in the context of progressive neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's, as well as certain cancers such as lung, liver, ovarian, and tracheal carcinomas. 10.1093/toxsci/kfx074
Clinical Implications of Exosomes: Targeted Drug Delivery for Cancer Treatment. Massey Andrew E,Malik Shabnam,Sikander Mohammad,Doxtater Kyle A,Tripathi Manish K,Khan Sheema,Yallapu Murali M,Jaggi Meena,Chauhan Subhash C,Hafeez Bilal B International journal of molecular sciences Exosomes are nanoscale vesicles generated by cells for intercellular communication. Due to their composition, significant research has been conducted to transform these particles into specific delivery systems for various disease states. In this review, we discuss the common isolation and loading methods of exosomes, some of the major roles of exosomes in the tumor microenvironment, as well as discuss recent applications of exosomes as drug delivery vessels and the resulting clinical implications. 10.3390/ijms22105278
Recent advances of aptasensors for exosomes detection. Zhu Chao,Li Linsen,Wang Zijian,Irfan Muhammad,Qu Feng Biosensors & bioelectronics Exosomes are nanoscale phospholipid bilayer membrane-enclosed vesicles released from cells with diameters of 30-150 nm. Their contents reflect significant information regarding the cancer microenvironment from their parent cells, which attracts increasing attention as potential biomarkers for noninvasive early diagnosis. Among their detection methods, aptasensor has been becoming an attractive star with its properties of affordability, easy to use, fast response, high sensitivity, remarkable specificity, and multiplexing capability. This review mainly summarizes the recent advances of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) aptamer-based sensors for cancer and tumor-derived exosomes detection. Firstly, we present a brief overview of aptamers and exosomes. Then, we introduce the exosomal proteins used as potential biomarkers of various cancers, and their specific ssDNA aptamers used in aptasensors. We emphasize eight major types of aptasensors: fluorescent, electrochemical, colorimetric, luminescence, lateral flow strips, surface-enhanced Raman scattering, surface plasmon resonance, and giant magnetoresistance sensors, based on fabrication methods, bio-recognition mechanism, as well as detection evaluation. The future directions and challenges are finally proposed for aptamers and their more applications in exosomes research. 10.1016/j.bios.2020.112213
Exosomes as a therapeutic tool to promote neurorestoration and cognitive function in neurological conditions: Achieve two ends with a single effort. CNS neuroscience & therapeutics Exosomes possess a significant role in intercellular communications. In the nervous system, various neural cells release exosomes that not only own a role in intercellular communications but also eliminate the waste of cells, maintain the myelin sheath, facilitate neurogenesis, and specifically assist in normal cognitive function. In neurological conditions including Parkinson's disease (PD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and stroke, exosomal cargo like miRNAs take part in the sequela of conditions and serve as a diagnostic tool of neurological disorders, too. Exosomes are not only a diagnostic tool but also their inhibition or administration from various sources like mesenchymal stem cells and serum, which have shown a worthy potential to treat multiple neurological disorders. In addition to neurodegenerative manifestations, cognitive deficiencies are an integral part of neurological diseases, and applying exosomes in improving both aspects of these diseases has been promising. This review discusses the status of exosome therapy in improving neurorestorative and cognitive function following neurological disease. 10.1111/cns.14752
Exosomes: novel biomarkers for clinical diagnosis. Lin Jin,Li Jing,Huang Bo,Liu Jing,Chen Xin,Chen Xi-Min,Xu Yan-Mei,Huang Lin-Feng,Wang Xiao-Zhong TheScientificWorldJournal Exosomes are 30-120 nm endocytic membrane-derived vesicles that participate in cell-to-cell communication and protein and RNA delivery. Exosomes harbor a variety of proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids and are present in many and perhaps all bodily fluids. A significant body of literature has demonstrated that molecular constituents of exosomes, especially exosomal proteins and microRNAs (miRNAs), hold great promise as novel biomarkers for clinical diagnosis. In this minireview, we summarize recent advances in the research of exosomal biomarkers and their potential application in clinical diagnostics. We also provide a brief overview of the formation, function, and isolation of exosomes. 10.1155/2015/657086
Personalized medicine and back-allogeneic exosomes for cancer immunotherapy. Samuel M,Gabrielsson S Journal of internal medicine Extracellular vesicles, especially exosomes, have been explored for cancer immunotherapy. The initial studies made use of autologous B-cell or dendritic cell-derived exosomes, with the idea that MHC-peptide complexes on the exosomal surface would stimulate an MHC-restricted cancer-specific immune response. This was also verified in mouse systems, whilst the effects in human clinical systems were more modest. Several studies have explored the mechanisms for exosomal T-cell activation, and a picture emerges where the antigen-presenting cells, possibly both B cells and dendritic cells of the recipient, are needed to induce a potent T-cell response to exosomes. Therefore, the exosomes function more as an adjuvant-like delivery system of antigens, and we need to further understand the exact components that trigger the most broad and potent immune responses. Here, we describe the grounds for using allogeneic exosomes for cancer therapy, something that would greatly improve the feasibility of new exosome-based immunotherapeutic approaches to cure cancer. 10.1111/joim.12963
Exosomes: Implications in HIV-1 Pathogenesis. Madison Marisa N,Okeoma Chioma M Viruses Exosomes are membranous nanovesicles of endocytic origin that carry host and pathogen derived genomic, proteomic, and lipid cargos. Exosomes are secreted by most cell types into the extracellular milieu and are subsequently internalized by recipient cells. Upon internalization, exosomes condition recipient cells by donating their cargos and/or activating various signal transduction pathways, consequently regulating physiological and pathophysiological processes. The role of exosomes in viral pathogenesis, especially human immunodeficiency virus type 1 [HIV-1] is beginning to unravel. Recent research reports suggest that exosomes from various sources play important but different roles in the pathogenesis of HIV-1. From these reports, it appears that the source of exosomes is the defining factor for the exosomal effect on HIV-1. In this review, we will describe how HIV-1 infection is modulated by exosomes and in turn how exosomes are targeted by HIV-1 factors. Finally, we will discuss potentially emerging therapeutic options based on exosomal cargos that may have promise in preventing HIV-1 transmission. 10.3390/v7072810
Exosomes for neurodegenerative diseases: diagnosis and targeted therapy. Journal of neurology PURPOSE OF REVIEW:Neurodegenerative diseases are still challenging clinical issues, with no curative interventions available and early, accurate diagnosis remaining difficult. Finding solutions to them is of great importance. In this review, we discuss possible exosomal diagnostic biomarkers and explore current explorations in exosome-targeted therapy for some common neurodegenerative diseases, offering insights into the clinical transformation of exosomes in this field. RECENT FINDINGS:The burgeoning research on exosomes has shed light on their potential applications in disease diagnosis and treatment. As a type of extracellular vesicles, exosomes are capable of crossing the blood - brain barrier and exist in various body fluids, whose components can reflect pathophysiological changes in the brain. In addition, they can deliver specific drugs to brain tissue, and even possess certain therapeutic effects themselves. And the recent advancements in engineering modification technology have further enabled exosomes to selectively target specific sites, facilitating the possibility of targeted therapy for neurodegenerative diseases. The unique properties of exosomes give them great potential in the diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, and provide novel ideas for dealing with such diseases. 10.1007/s00415-024-12329-w
Therapeutic application of exosomes in ischaemic stroke. Li Yongfang,Tang Yaohui,Yang Guo-Yuan Stroke and vascular neurology Ischaemic stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability in the world, with limited effective treatments. Increasing evidence demonstrates that exosomes are involved in ischaemic pathology and exhibit restorative therapeutic effects by mediating cell-cell communication. The potential of exosome therapy for ischaemic stroke has been actively investigated in the past decade. In this review, we mainly discuss the current knowledge of therapeutic applications of exosomes from different cell types, different exosomal administration routes, and current advances of exosome tracking and targeting in ischaemic stroke. We also briefly summarised the pathology of ischaemic stroke, exosome biogenesis, exosome profile changes after stroke as well as registered clinical trials of exosome-based therapy. 10.1136/svn-2020-000419
Exosomes: Methods for Isolation and Characterization in Biological Samples. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.) Exosomes are small lipid bilayer-encapsulated nanosized extracellular vesicles of endosomal origin. Exosomes are secreted by almost all cell types and are a crucial player in intercellular communication. Exosomes transmit cellular information from donor to recipient cells in the form of proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids and influence several physiological and pathological responses. Due to their capacity to carry a variety of cellular cargo, low immunogenicity and cytotoxicity, biocompatibility, and ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, these nanosized vesicles are considered excellent diagnostic tools and drug-delivery vehicles. Despite their tremendous potential, the progress in therapeutic applications of exosomes is hindered by inadequate isolation techniques, poor characterization, and scarcity of specific biomarkers. The current research in the field is focused on overcoming these limitations. In this chapter, we have reviewed conventional exosome isolation and characterization methods and recent advancements, their advantages and limitations, persistent challenges in exosome research, and future directions. 10.1007/978-1-0716-3995-5_17
Exosomes and their miRNA/protein profile in keratoconus-derived corneal stromal cells. Experimental eye research Keratoconus (KC) is a corneal thinning disorder and a leading cause of corneal transplantation worldwide. Exosomes are small, secreted extracellular vesicles (30-150 nm) that mediate cellular communication via their protein, lipid, and nucleic acid content. We aimed to characterize the exosomes secreted by primary corneal fibroblasts from subjects with or without KC. Using human keratoconus stromal fibroblast cells (HKC, n = 4) and healthy stromal fibroblasts (HCF, n = 4), we collected and isolated exosomes using serial ultracentrifugation. Using nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) with ZetaView®, we compared the size and concentration of isolated exosomes. Different exosomal markers were identified and quantified using a transmission electron microscope (TEM) (CD81) and Western blot (CD9 and CD63). Exosomal miRNA profiles were determined by qRT-PCR using Exiqon Human panel I miRNA assays of 368 pre-selected miRNAs. Proteomic profiles were determined using a label-free spectral counting method with mass spectrometry. Differential expression analysis for miRNAs and proteins was done using student's t-test with a significance cutoff of p-value ≤0.05. We successfully characterized exosomes isolated from HCFs using several complementary techniques. We found no significant differences in the size, quantity, or morphology between exosomes secreted by HCFs with or without KC. Expression of CD81 was confirmed by immuno-EM, and expression of CD63 and CD9 with western blots in all exosome samples. We detected the expression of 72-144 miRNAs (threshold cycle Ct < 36) in all exosome samples. In HKC-derived exosome samples, miR-328-3p, miR-532-5p, miR-345-5p, and miR-424-5p showed unique expression, while let-7c-5p and miR-665 have increased expression. Protein profiling identified 157 proteins in at least half of the exosome samples, with 38 known exosomal proteins. We identified 12 up- and 2 down-regulated proteins in HKC-derived exosomes. The proteins are involved in membrane-bounded vesicles, cytoskeletal, calcium binding, and nucleotide binding. These proteins are predicted to be regulated by NRF2, miR-205, and TGF-β1, which are involved in KC pathogenesis. We successfully characterized the HKC-derived exosomes and profiled their miRNA and protein contents, suggesting their potential role in KC development. Further studies are necessary to determine if and how these exosomes with differential protein/miRNA profiles contribute to the pathogenesis of KC. 10.1016/j.exer.2023.109642
Salivary exosomes: properties, medical applications, and isolation methods. Molecular biology reports Salivary exosomes are extracellular vesicles (EVs) with abundant CD63 immunoreactivity on their surface. Based on their size and protein composition, these exosomes can be categorized into two classes of exosomes I (mean diameter of 83.5 nm) and II (mean diameter of 40.5 nm). We have attempted to review the features of these exosomes, including origin, composition, separation methods, and their application in medicine. Not only the composition of salivary exosomes is invaluable in term of diagnosis, but can also afford an understanding in roles of the contents and components of these exosomes in the fundamental pathophysiologic processes of different diseases. since these EVs can cross the epithelial barriers they may be essential for transporting of multifarious components from the blood into saliva. Thus, in comparison to other bodily fluids, salivary exosomes are probably a better and accessible tool to examine the function of exosomes in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. 10.1007/s11033-020-05659-1
NK cell-derived exosomes carry miR-207 and alleviate depression-like symptoms in mice. Li Dongping,Wang Ying,Jin Xinrong,Hu Die,Xia Chunlei,Xu Hanmei,Hu Jialiang Journal of neuroinflammation BACKGROUND:Depression is a common mental disease that mainly manifests as bad mood, decreased interest, pessimism, slow thinking, lack of initiative, poor diet and sleep. Patients with severe depression have suicidal tendencies. Exosomes are small vesicles released by the fusion of a multivesicular body and membranes, and they contain specific proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids related to the cells from which they originate. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are 20-24 nt RNAs that can be packaged into exosomes and can play important regulatory roles. Astrocytes are the most abundant cell population in the central nervous system and have a close link to depression. Astrocyte activation could result in the release of inflammatory cytokines, including IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, which could promote the symptoms of depression. In previous research, our team confirmed that NK cells regulate depression in mice. Here, we propose that miRNA in the exosomes from NK cells performs this antidepressant function. METHODS:Exosomes from NK cells were shown by in vivo and in vitro experiments to alleviate symptoms of chronic mild stress in mice and decrease pro-inflammatory cytokines release from astrocytes. The production of pro-inflammatory cytokines was assessed by ELISA. Microarray analysis was used to identify critical miRNAs. Luciferase reporter assays, qPCR, and other experiments were used to prove that exosomal miR-207 has an important role in alleviating the symptoms of stress in mice. RESULTS:MiRNA-containing exosomes from NK cells could alleviate symptoms of chronic mild stress in mice. In vivo experiments showed that these exosomes decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) released by astrocytes. By microarray analysis of exosome miRNA profiles, miR-207 was found to be overexpressed in exosomes derived from unstressed mice. Experiments confirmed that miR-207 directly targets TLR4 interactor with leucine-rich repeats (Tril) and inhibits NF-κB signaling in astrocytes. MiR-207 could decrease the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and inhibit expression of Tril in vitro. In vivo experiments revealed that exosomes with low miR-207 levels showed decreased antidepressant activity. CONCLUSION:Collectively, our findings revealed that exosomal miR-207 alleviated symptoms of depression in stressed mice by targeting Tril to inhibit NF-κB signaling in astrocytes. 10.1186/s12974-020-01787-4
Surface functionalization of exosomes for target-specific delivery and in vivo imaging & tracking: Strategies and significance. Salunkhe Shubham,Dheeraj ,Basak Moumita,Chitkara Deepak,Mittal Anupama Journal of controlled release : official journal of the Controlled Release Society Exosomes are natural nanovesicles excreted by many cells for intercellular communication and for transfer of materials including proteins, nucleic acids and even synthetic therapeutic agents. Surface modification of exosomes imparts additional functionality to the exosomes to enable site specific drug delivery and in vivo imaging and tracking and is an emerging area in drug delivery research. The present review focuses upon these modifications on the exosomal surface, the chemistry involved and their impact on targeted drug delivery for the treatment of brain, breast, lung, liver, colon tumors and, heart diseases and for understanding their in vivo fate including their uptake mechanisms, pharmacokinetics and biodistribution. The specific exosomal membrane proteins such as tetraspanins (CD63, CD81, CD9), lactadherin (LA), lysosome associated membrane protein-2b (Lamp-2b) and, glycosyl-phosphatidyl-inositol (GPI) involved in functionalization of exosome surface have also been discussed along with different strategies of surface modification like genetic engineering, covalent modification (click chemistry and metabolic engineering of parent cells of exosomes) and non-covalent modification (multivalent electrostatic interactions, ligand-receptor interaction, hydrophobic interaction, aptamer based modification and modification by anchoring CP05 peptide) along with optical (fluorescent and bioluminescent) and radioactive isotope labelling techniques of exosomes for imaging purpose. 10.1016/j.jconrel.2020.07.042
Exosomes. Pegtel D Michiel,Gould Stephen J Annual review of biochemistry Exosomes are small, single-membrane, secreted organelles of ∼30 to ∼200 nm in diameter that have the same topology as the cell and are enriched in selected proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and glycoconjugates. Exosomes contain an array of membrane-associated, high-order oligomeric protein complexes, display pronounced molecular heterogeneity, and are created by budding at both plasma and endosome membranes. Exosome biogenesis is a mechanism of protein quality control, and once released, exosomes have activities as diverse as remodeling the extracellular matrix and transmitting signals and molecules to other cells. This pathway of intercellular vesicle traffic plays important roles in many aspects of human health and disease, including development, immunity, tissue homeostasis, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, viruses co-opt exosome biogenesis pathways both for assembling infectious particles and for establishing host permissiveness. On the basis of these and other properties, exosomes are being developed as therapeutic agents in multiple disease models. 10.1146/annurev-biochem-013118-111902
Engineering exosomes for targeted drug delivery. Liang Yujie,Duan Li,Lu Jianping,Xia Jiang Theranostics Exosomes are cell-derived nanovesicles that are involved in the intercellular transportation of materials. Therapeutics, such as small molecules or nucleic acid drugs, can be incorporated into exosomes and then delivered to specific types of cells or tissues to realize targeted drug delivery. Targeted delivery increases the local concentration of therapeutics and minimizes side effects. Here, we present a detailed review of exosomes engineering through genetic and chemical methods for targeted drug delivery. Although still in its infancy, exosome-mediated drug delivery boasts low toxicity, low immunogenicity, and high engineerability, and holds promise for cell-free therapies for a wide range of diseases. 10.7150/thno.52570