Neural stem/progenitor cell-derived extracellular vesicles: A novel therapy for neurological diseases and beyond

MedComm, 2023 · DOI: 10.1002/mco2.214 · Published: January 17, 2023

Simple Explanation

Neural stem/progenitor cell-derived extracellular vesicles (NSC-EVs) are attracting attention as potential therapeutic agents for neurological diseases because of their unique characteristics and biological functions. NSC-EVs offer advantages over NSCs, such as stable properties, low immunogenicity, and the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, addressing concerns about autoimmune responses and ethical issues associated with NSCs. NSC-EVs inherit neuroprotective, neuroregenerative, and immunomodulatory properties from their parent cells, demonstrating therapeutic effects in mitigating behavioral and pathological changes in neurological diseases.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

Not specified

Evidence Level

Review

Key Findings

1
NSC-EVs can modulate various physiological and pathological processes, including neuroinflammation, neuroprotection, BBB integrity maintenance, neuroregeneration, and neurogenesis.
2
NSC-EVs effectively pass through the BBB and escape phagocytosis due to their small size and low immunogenicity.
3
NSC-EVs demonstrate promising neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and neuroregenerative effects, making them potential therapeutics for neurological diseases.

Research Summary

This review comprehensively summarizes the progress in functional research and application of NSC-EVs in different neurological diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases, acute neurological diseases, dementia/cognitive dysfunction, and peripheral diseases. The review provides thoughts on current limitations/concerns as well as the tremendous potential of NSC-EVs in clinical applications. The review discusses future directions for further investigations on NSC-EVs and their probable applications in both basic and clinical research.

Practical Implications

Therapeutic Potential

NSC-EVs hold promise as novel therapeutic agents for neurological disorders, offering advantages over traditional NSC transplantation.

Drug Delivery Platform

NSC-EVs can be engineered as drug delivery vehicles to enhance the delivery of therapeutic agents to specific brain regions, improving treatment efficacy.

Clinical Translation

Further research is needed to address the limitations and standardize the production, characterization, and administration of NSC-EVs for clinical applications.

Study Limitations

1
Lack of standardized protocols for NSC-EV generation and characterization.
2
Limited understanding of EV content sorting mechanisms.
3
Need for targeted strategies to promote NSC-EV accumulation in desired tissues.

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