Research progress of exosomes associated with spinal cord injury
10.3760/cma.j.cn121113-20240217-00098
- VernacularTitle:外泌体在脊髓损伤中的应用进展
- Author:
Yuxi PAN
1
;
Junming WAN
Author Information
1. 中山大学医学院，深圳 518000
- Keywords:
Spinal cord injury;
Exosomes;
Spinal cord regeneration
- From:
Chinese Journal of Orthopaedics
2024;44(21):1432-1440
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Spinal cord injury (SCI) can lead to severe sensory and motor dysfunction pathologically characterized by direct axonal rupture, nerve cell necrosis and apoptosis. Traditional interventions, such as drug therapy and cell therapy, have limited efficacy associated with a poor prognosis in patients of SCI. In recent years, exosomes have become a new hotspot for spinal cord injury repair for their unique phospholipid properties and nucleic acid and protein inclusions. Exosomes can be produced by various cells with the assistance of molecules related to intracellular vesicle transport, such as endosomal sorting complex proteins, rat sarcoma-associated proteins and lipids. Those exosomes with structural and functional diversity due to the molecular composition of their respective cell sources, can be targeted on different receptor cells and play a key role in inhibiting glial scar formation, reducing inflammation and promoting nerve regeneration and repair. By identifying the target of exosomes derived from mesenchymal stem cells, neural stem cells, and Schwann cells for spinal cord injury repair, individualized therapy becomes possible based on the specific cell and molecular background of the patient's injury type, thus enhancing the effectiveness and safety of therapy. However, clinical use of exosomes still has limitations because of its rapid clearance, unstable therapeutic concentration in injured site and lack of separation and purification methods that both satisfies the separation efficiency and specificity. On the basis of the separation and purification methods summarized by International Society of Extracellular Vesicles, efforts are made by using 3D culture and stimulation of physical and chemical factors to improve exosome production and activity, using synthetic extracellular vesicle mimics with higher yield to replace exosomes and loading exosomes with scaffolds such as hydrogels and 3D printing materials to provide a stable environment for promoting nerve repair.
