Mesenchymal stem cell‐derived extracellular vesicles: Recent therapeutics and targeted drug delivery advances

Extracellular Vesicles from Different Mesenchymal Stem Cell Types Exhibit Distinctive Surface Protein Profiling and Molecular Characteristics: A Comparative Analysis

The current medical need to respond to different diseases has sparked great interest in extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) due to their great regenerative potential and as drug carriers by playing a critical role in cell-cell communication. However, due to their heterogeneity, there is no standardized universal method for their identification and characterization, which limits their clinical application. This study, following the recommendations and methodologies proposed by MISEV2023 for the characterization of EVs, shows for the first time a detailed morphological, protein, and biochemical comparison between EVs derived from three different MSCs sources (placenta, endometrium, and dental pulp). The information obtained from the different applied assays suggests that there are substantial differences between one EVs source and another. It also offers valuable insights that provide the guidelines to ease their profiling and therefore improve their selection, in order to speed up their use and clinical application; additionally, the knowledge obtained from each characterization test could facilitate new researchers in the field to choose a specific cell source to obtain EVs and select the appropriate methods that provide the necessary information according to their requirements.

Harnessing the Therapeutic Potential of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Cancer Treatment

Cancer, as a complicated disease, is considered to be one of the major leading causes of death globally. Although various cancer therapeutic strategies have been established, however, some issues confine the efficacies of the treatments. In recent decades researchers for finding efficient therapeutic solutions have extensively focused on the abilities of stem cells in cancer inhibition. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent stromal cells that can the most widely extracted from various sources such as the bone marrow (BM), placenta, umbilical cord (UC), menses blood, Wharton's jelly (WJ), adipose tissue and dental pulp (DP). These cells are capable of differentiating into the osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and adipocytes. Due to the unique characteristics of MSCs such as paracrine effects, immunomodulation, tumor-tropism, and migration, they are considered promising candidates for cancer therapeutics. Currently, MSCs are an excellent living carrier for delivery of therapeutic genes and chemical agents to target tumor sites. Also, exosomes, the most important extracellular vesicle released from MSCs, act as a strong cell-free tool for cancer therapeutics. MSCs can prevent cancer progression by inhibiting several signaling pathways, such as wnt/β-catenin and PI3K/AKT/mTOR. However, there are several challenges associated with the use of MSCs and their exosomes in the field of therapy that need to be considered. This review explores the significance of MSCs in cell-based therapy, focusing on their homing properties and immunomodulatory characteristics. It also examines the potential of using MSCs as carriers for delivery of anticancer agents and their role in modulating the signal transduction pathways of cancer cells.