Regenerative Effects of Exosomes-Derived MSCs: An Overview on Spinal Cord Injury Experimental Studies

Spinal cord injury (SCI) often results in permanent motor and sensory deficits due to an initial mechanical insult. Current research explores therapies to reduce post-injury neuroinflammation. Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) have shown anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects but have limitations. Recent studies investigate exosomes-derived MSCs (MSC-EXOs) as a novel SCI treatment. MSC-EXOs can maintain the blood-spinal cord barrier, promoting beneficial effects like angiogenesis and immunomodulation. This review summarizes preclinical studies on MSC-EXOs for SCI.

• 1
  MSC-EXOs possess anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects, facilitate axonal regeneration, and modulate macrophage polarization, protecting the blood-spinal cord barrier.
• 2
  Specific miRNAs within MSC-EXOs, such as miR-21, miR-133, and miR-126, show therapeutic potential by influencing neuronal apoptosis, axonal regeneration, and inflammation.
• 3
  Studies demonstrate that MSC-EXOs, particularly when modified or delivered via innovative methods like hydrogels, improve functional recovery in SCI models.