Tagged extracellular vesicles with the RBD of the viral spike protein for delivery of antiviral agents against SARS-COV-2 infection

Bacterial Extracellular Vesicles: Bridging Pathogen Biology and Therapeutic Innovation

The main role of bacterial extracellular vesicles (BEVs) has been associated with various processes such as intercellular communication and host-pathogen interactions. This comprehensive review explores the multifaceted functions of BEVs across different biological domains, emphasizing their multifaceted functions as contributors both to disease and as carriers of therapeutic possibilities. We examine the intricate interactions of BEVs within bacterial communities and between bacteria and hosts, their involvement in disease development through cargo delivery mechanisms, and their beneficial impact to microbial ecology. The review places a strong emphasis on BEVs' applications in biomedical sciences, where they are revolutionizing vaccine development, targeted drug delivery, and cancer therapy. By utilizing the inherent properties of BEVs for controlled drug release, targeted antigen delivery, and immune modulation, they offer a promising frontier in precision medicine. In addition, the diagnostic potential of BEVs is explored through their biomarker capabilities, providing valuable insights into disease states and treatment efficacy. Looking forward, this review underscores the challenges and opportunities in translating BEV research to clinical practice, promoting the use of standardized methods in BEV characterization and scaling up production. The diverse abilities of BEVs, ranging from contributing to pathogen virulence to driving therapeutic innovation, highlight their potential as a cornerstone in the future of biomedical advancements. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Bacterial extracellular vesicles (BEVs) are emerging as pivotal players in both pathogenesis and therapeutic innovation. This review explores their dual nature as agents of disease and as promising biomaterials in biomedical applications, and provides a comprehensive survey on their involvement in disease mechanisms and microbial ecology, and their potential in biomedical applications such as vaccine development, targeted drug delivery, cancer therapy and diagnosis. It highlights the complex interactions of BEVs within bacterial communities and between bacteria and hosts. This review also addresses current advancements, challenges, and opportunities in translating BEV research into clinical practice. The insights presented here position BEVs as a cornerstone in the future of biomedical advancements, advocating for standardized methods in BEV characterization and scalable production techniques.

Extracellular vesicles engineered to directly target encephalomyocarditis virus ameliorates multi-organ viremia in a lethal infection model

The outbreak and prevalence of encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) causes significant global mortality and morbidity to the pig industry. Though the current and most effective approach to control EMCV outbreak are done through inactivated vaccines, we have yet to see an effective antiviral agent that directly targets EMCV. Here, we present a molecular therapy consisting of extracellular vesicles (EVs) decorated with EMCV-specific single-chain variable fragment (scFv), engineered on the external loop of the EVS transmembrane domain CD63. These EMCV-scFv enriched EVs directly neutralizes infectious EMCV, thereby inhibiting viral proliferation in vitro. Importantly, we demonstrate that systemic delivery of these EVs reduced multi-organ viremia and clinically rescued EMCV infected mice in vivo. This is the first demonstration of the use of direct acting molecularly engineered EVs to target EMCV infection.

Extracellular Vesicles for Disease Treatment

Traditional drug therapies suffer from problems such as easy drug degradation, side effects, and treatment resistance. Traditional disease diagnosis also suffers from high error rates and late diagnosis. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanoscale spherical lipid bilayer vesicles secreted by cells that carry various biologically active components and are integral to intercellular communication. EVs can be found in different body fluids and may reflect the state of the parental cells, making them ideal noninvasive biomarkers for disease-specific diagnosis. The multifaceted characteristics of EVs render them optimal candidates for drug delivery vehicles, with evidence suggesting their efficacy in the treatment of various ailments. However, poor stability and easy degradation of natural EVs have affected their applications. To solve the problems of poor stability and easy degradation of natural EVs, they can be engineered and modified to obtain more stable and multifunctional EVs. In this study, we review the shortcomings of traditional drug delivery methods and describe how to modify EVs to form engineered EVs to improve their utilization. An innovative stimulus-responsive drug delivery system for EVs has also been proposed. We also summarize the current applications and research status of EVs in the diagnosis and treatment of different systemic diseases, and look forward to future research directions, providing research ideas for scholars.

Dual Role of Extracellular Vesicles as Orchestrators of Emerging and Reemerging Virus Infections

Current decade witnessed the emergence and re-emergence of many viruses, which affected public health significantly. Viruses mainly utilize host cell machinery to promote its growth, and spread of these diseases. Numerous factors influence virus-host cell interactions, of which extracellular vesicles play an important role, where they transfer information both locally and distally by enclosing viral and host-derived proteins and RNAs as their cargo. Thus, they play a dual role in mediating virus infections by promoting virus dissemination and evoking immune responses in host organisms. Moreover, it acts as a double-edged sword during these infections. Advances in extracellular vesicles regulating emerging and reemerging virus infections, particularly in the context of SARS-CoV-2, Dengue, Ebola, Zika, Chikungunya, West Nile, and Japanese Encephalitis viruses are discussed in this review.

SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus dysregulates hematopoiesis and induces inflammaging of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection primarily affects the respiratory system but may induce hematological alterations such as anemia, lymphopenia and thrombocytopenia. Previous studies have reported that SARS-CoV-2 efficiently infects hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs); however, the subsequent effects on hematopoiesis and immune reconstitution have not yet been described. Here we evaluated the pathological effects of infection of umbilical-cord-blood-derived HSPCs with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant pseudovirus (PsV). Transcriptomic analysis of Omicron PsV-infected HSPCs revealed the upregulation of genes involved in inflammation, aging and the NLRP3 inflammasome, suggesting a potential trigger of inflammaging. Omicron PsV-infected HSPCs presented decreased numbers of multipotential progenitors (granulocyte‒erythrocyte‒macrophage‒megakaryocyte colony-forming units) ex vivo and repopulated primitive hematopoietic stem cells (Ki-67-hCD34+ cells) in an HSPC transplantation NOD-scid IL2rγnull mouse model (Omicron mouse). Furthermore, Omicron PsV infection induced myeloid-biased differentiation of HSPCs. Treatment with nanographene oxide, an antiviral agent, partially mitigated the myeloid bias and inflammaging phenotype both in vitro and in vivo. These findings provide insights into the abnormal hematopoietic and immune effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection and highlight potential therapeutic interventions.

Targeted Drug Delivery to ACE2+ Cells Using Engineered Extracellular Vesicles: A Potential Therapeutic Approach for COVID-19

BACKGROUND

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are emerging as potential drug carriers in the fight against COVID-19. This study investigates the ability of EVs as drug carriers to target SARS-CoV-2-infected cells.

METHODS

EVs were modified using Xstamp technology to carry the virus's RBD, enhancing targeting ability to hACE2+ cells and improving drug delivery efficiency. Characterization confirmed EVs' suitability as drug carriers. For in vitro tests, A549, Caco-2, and 4T1 cells were used to assess the targeting specificity of EVRs (EVs with membrane-surface enriched RBD). Moreover, we utilized an ex vivo lung tissue model overexpressing hACE2 as an ex vivo model to confirm the targeting capability of EVRs toward lung tissue. The study also evaluated drug loading efficiency and assessed the potential of the anti-inflammatory activity on A549 lung cancer cells exposed to lipopolysaccharide.

RESULTS

The results demonstrate the successful construction of RBD-fused EVRs on the membrane- surface. In both in vitro and ex vivo models, EVRs significantly enhance their targeting ability towards hACE2+ cells, rendering them a safe and efficient drug carrier. Furthermore, ultrasound loading efficiently incorporates IL-10 into EVRs, establishing an effective drug delivery system that ameliorates the pro-inflammatory response induced by LPS-stimulated A549 cells.

CONCLUSION

These findings indicate promising opportunities for engineered EVs as a novel nanomedicine carrier, offering valuable insights for therapeutic strategies against COVID-19 and other diseases.

Targeted macrophage mannose receptor (CD206)-specific protein delivery via engineered extracellular vesicles

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) show great potential for therapeutic delivery to human cells, with a focus on modulating immune responses. The most promising targets for inducing humoral and cellular immunity against a specific antigen are macrophages (Mϕs) and dendritic cells (DCs). Targeting mannose receptors (CD206), which are highly expressed on these antigen-presenting cells, to promote the presentation of specific antigens through EV-mediated uptake, is a promising strategy in clinical immunotherapy. Our study compares two EV-fused anti-CD206 nanobodies in delivering cargo proteins to human activated antigen-presenting cells. We demonstrated that nanobody-functionalized EVs exhibit enhanced interaction and increased uptake by CD206+ cells compared to non-targeted EVs. Furthermore, replacing the full-length vesicular stomatitis virus protein G (VSV-G) with its truncated form, fused to a monoclonal anti-CD206 nanobody, significantly improves the specificity of EV uptake by CD206+ cells. Our study outlines an optimized platform for the production of targeted EVs designed for specific protein delivery to CD206-positive human cells.

Functional Three-Dimensional Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework with an Ordered Macroporous Structure for the Isolation of Extracellular Vesicles

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) and their cargoes are increasingly being recognized as noninvasive diagnostic markers, necessitating the isolation of EVs from complex biological samples. Herein, a distearoyl phospholipid ethanolamine-functionalized single-crystal ordered macroporous three-dimensional zeolitic imidazolate framework (SOM-ZIF-8-DSPE) was developed, which combines the surface charge interaction of ZIF-8 with the synergistic effect of DSPE insertion into the phospholipid membrane of EVs to improve the isolating selectivity of EV capture. The materials have porous structures larger than 300 nm in diameter, providing enough space and active sites to trap EVs. Benefiting from this feature, the entire isolation process takes only 10 min and is well compatible with the subsequent analysis of RNA in EVs. Consequently, 10 upregulated miRNA of plasma EVs in the primary colorectal cancer (pCRC) patients is found over the healthy donors, and 6 upregulated miRNA of plasma EVs in the metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients over pCRC patients. These findings suggest that the isolation of EV-based SOM-ZIF-8-DSPE is a promising strategy to identify biomarkers for disease diagnosis, such as miRNAs in plasma EVs for the early detection of CRC.

Extracellular Vesicle-Inspired Therapeutic Strategies for the COVID-19

Emerging infectious diseases like coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) present significant challenges to global health, extensively affecting both human society and the economy. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have demonstrated remarkable potential as crucial biomedical tools for COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment. However, due to limitations in the performance and titer of natural vesicles, their clinical use remains limited. Nonetheless, EV-inspired strategies are gaining increasing attention. Notably, biomimetic vesicles, inspired by EVs, possess specific receptors that can act as "Trojan horses," preventing the virus from infecting host cells. Genetic engineering can enhance these vesicles by enabling them to carry more receptors, significantly increasing their specificity for absorbing the novel coronavirus. Additionally, biomimetic vesicles inherit numerous cytokine receptors from parent cells, allowing them to effectively mitigate the "cytokine storm" by adsorbing pro-inflammatory cytokines. Overall, this EV-inspired strategy offers new avenues for the treatment of emerging infectious diseases. Herein, this review systematically summarizes the current applications of EV-inspired strategies in the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19. The current status and challenges associated with the clinical implementation of EV-inspired strategies are also discussed. The goal of this review is to provide new insights into the design of EV-inspired strategies and expand their application in combating emerging infectious diseases.

S-RBD-modified and miR-486-5p-engineered exosomes derived from mesenchymal stem cells suppress ferroptosis and alleviate radiation-induced lung injury and long-term pulmonary fibrosis

BACKGROUND

Radiation-induced lung injury (RILI) is associated with alveolar epithelial cell death and secondary fibrosis in injured lung. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived exosomes have regenerative effect against lung injury and the potential to intervene of RILI. However, their intervention efficacy is limited because they lack lung targeting characters and do not carry sufficient specific effectors. SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein (SARS-CoV-2-S-RBD) binds angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor and mediates interaction with host cells. MiR-486-5p is a multifunctional miRNA with angiogenic and antifibrotic potential and acts as an effector in MSC-derived exosomes. Ferroptosis is a form of cell death associated with radiation injury, its roles and mechanisms in RILI remain unclear. In this study, we developed an engineered MSC-derived exosomes with SARS-CoV-2-S-RBD- and miR-486-5p- modification and investigated their intervention effects on RIPF and action mechanisms via suppression of epithelial cell ferroptosis.

RESULTS

Adenovirus-mediated gene modification led to miR-486-5p overexpression in human umbilical cord MSC exosomes (p < 0.05), thereby constructing miR-486-5p engineered MSC exosomes (miR-486-MSC-Exo). MiR-486-MSC-Exo promoted the proliferation and migration of irradiated mouse lung epithelial (MLE-12) cells in vitro and inhibited RILI in vivo (all p < 0.05). MiR-486-MSC-Exo suppressed ferroptosis in MLE-12 cells, and an in vitro assay revealed that the expression of fibrosis-related genes is up-regulated following ferroptosis (both p < 0.05). MiR-486-MSC-Exo reversed the up-regulated expression of fibrosis-related genes induced by TGF-β1 in vitro and improved pathological fibrosis in RIPF mice in vivo (all p < 0.05). SARS-CoV-2-S-RBD-modified and miR-486-5p-engineered MSC exosomes (miR-486-RBD-MSC-Exo) were also constructed, and the distribution of DiR dye-labeled miR-486-RBD-MSC-Exo in hACE2CKI/CKI Sftpc-Cre+ mice demonstrated long-term retention in the lung (p < 0.05). MiR-486-RBD-MSC-Exo significantly improved the survival rate and pathological changes in hACE2CKI/CKI Sftpc-Cre+ RIPF mice (all p < 0.05). Furthermore, miR-486-MSC-Exo exerted anti-fibrotic effects via targeted SMAD2 inhibition and Akt phosphorylation activation (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Engineered MSC exosomes with SARS-CoV-2-S-RBD- and miR-486-5p-modification were developed. MiR-486-RBD-MSC-Exo suppressed ferroptosis and fibrosis of MLE-12 cells in vitro, and alleviated RILI and long-term RIPF in ACE2 humanized mice in vivo. MiR-486-MSC-Exo exerted anti-fibrotic effects via SMAD2 inhibition and Akt activation. This study provides a potential approach for RIPF intervention.

A study of antigen selection by extracellular vesicles as vaccine candidates against Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection

Introduction. Tuberculosis (TB), an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb), remains a significant global public health concern. It is crucial to develop more effective vaccines for TB in order to achieve global control of the disease. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are spherical membrane-bound structures released by pathogens and host cells. During the course of an infection, both pathogen- and host-derived EVs are produced and play important roles in determining the course of the infection. EVs offer intriguing tools as potential vaccines due to their ability to deliver multiple pathogen or host antigens.Hypothesis /Gap Statement. We hypothesized that EVs derived from M. tb and EVs from M. tb-infected macrophages may serve as potential vaccine candidates against M. tb infection.Aim. This study aims to compare the immunogenicity and immune protection between M. tb EVs and M. tb-infected macrophage-derived EVs.Methodology. In this study, EVs were extracted from culture supernatants of M. tb and M. tb-infected macrophages, respectively. Mass spectrometry was employed to explore the antigen composition of H37Rv-Mφ-EVs and H37Rv-EVs. Cytokine profiling and antibody response assays were used to analyse the immunogenicity offered by EVs. Additionally, we used histological examination to evaluate and protective efficacy of the EVs.Results. Our results demonstrated that mice immunized by EVs released from M. tb-infected macrophages induced stronger inflammatory cytokine response than M. tb. Moreover, EVs from M. tb-infected macrophages reinforced T-cell activation and antibody response compared to M. tb EVs. Proteomic analysis revealed that EVs from M. tb-infected macrophages containing immunodominant cargos have stronger binding ability with major histocompatibility complex molecules, which may contribute to the protection from M. tb infection. Indeed, immunization of EVs released from M. tb-infected macrophages significantly reduced the bacterial load and better protection against M. tb infection than EVs from M. tb. Importantly, the selected antigens (Ag85B, ESAT-6 and the Rv0580c) from EVs of M. tb-infected macrophages exhibited effective immunogenicity.Conclusion. Our results suggested that EVs derived from M. tb-infected macrophages might serve as a proper antigenic library for vaccine candidates against M. tb challenge.

The therapeutic potential of exosomes in immunotherapy

Exosomes are found in various tissues of the body and carry abundant contents including nucleic acids, proteins, and metabolites, which continuously flow between cells of various tissues and mediate important intercellular communication. In addition, exosomes from different cellular sources possess different physiopathological immunomodulatory effects, which are closely related to the immune regeneration of normal or abnormal organs and tissues. Here, we focus on the mechanistic interactions between exosomes and the human immune system, introduce the immuno-regenerative therapeutic potential of exosomes in common clinical immune-related diseases, such as infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, and tumors, and reveal the safety and efficacy of exosomes as a novel cell-free immune regenerative therapy.

Harnessing crosstalk between extracellular vesicles and viruses for disease diagnostics and therapeutics

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are increasingly acknowledged as important mediators of intercellular communication, closely related to the occurrence and development of a variety of diseases. Numerous studies have demonstrated that EVs play a multifaceted role in the infection process of viral diseases, elucidating their ability to both facilitate viral spread and inhibit infection progression. These versatile entities not only enhance infection rates and widen the scope of viral infection through the transmission of entire viruses or viral genomes, but also trigger antiviral responses and prompt cytokine secretion near the infection site, thereby fortifying the host's defense mechanisms and safeguarding neighboring cells against infection. This complicated crosstalk between EVs and viral infections prompts a deeper exploration into their roles in potential clinical applications. In this review, we aim to encapsulate the recent advances in understanding the intricate interplay between viruses and EVs, shedding light on the mechanisms underlying this vesicle-to-virion crosstalk. Furthermore, we underscore the significance of harnessing this knowledge for diagnostic and therapeutic functions in combating viral diseases.

Identifications of novel host cell factors that interact with the receptor-binding domain of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein

SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells is facilitated by the interaction between the receptor-binding domain of its spike protein (CoV2-RBD) and host cell receptor, ACE2, promoting viral membrane fusion. The virus also uses endocytic pathways for entry, but the mediating host factors remain largely unknown. It is also unknown whether mutations in the RBD of SARS-CoV-2 variants promote interactions with additional host factors to promote viral entry. Here, we used the GST pull-down approach to identify novel surface-located host factors that bind to CoV2-RBD. One of these factors, SH3BP4, regulates internalization of CoV2-RBD in an ACE2-independent but integrin- and clathrin-dependent manner and mediates SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus entry, suggesting that SH3BP4 promotes viral entry via the endocytic route. Many of the identified factors, including SH3BP4, ADAM9, and TMEM2, show stronger affinity to CoV2-RBD than to RBD of the less infective SARS-CoV, suggesting SARS-CoV-2-specific utilization. We also found factors preferentially binding to the RBD of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant, potentially enhancing its entry. These data identify the repertoire of host cell surface factors that function in the events leading to the entry of SARS-CoV-2.

Construction of exosome-loaded LL-37 and its protection against zika virus infection

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an enveloped, single-stranded and positive-stranded RNA virus of the genus Flavivirus in the family Flaviviridae. ZIKV can cross the placental barrier and infect the fetus, causing microcephaly, congenital ZIKV syndrome, and even fetal death. ZIKV infection can also lead to testicular damage and male sterility. But no effective drugs and vaccines are available up to now. Previous studies have shown that the cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide LL-37 can protect against ZIKV infection. However, LL-37 is a secreted peptide, which can be easily degraded in vivo. We herein constructed exosome-loaded LL-37 (named LL-37-TM-exo and TM-LL-37-exo) using the transmembrane protein TM to load LL-37 onto the membrane of exosome. We found that exosome-loaded LL-37 could significantly inhibit ZIKV infection in vitro and in vivo, and LL-37-TM-exo had stronger antiviral activity than that of TM-LL-37-exo, which could significantly reduce ZIKV-induced testicular injury and sperm injury, and had broad-spectrum antiviral effect. Compared to free LL-37, exosome-loaded LL-37 showed a better serum stability, higher efficiency to cross the placental barrier, and stronger antiviral activity. The mechanism of exosome-loaded LL-37 against ZIKV infection was consistent with that of free LL-37, which could directly inactivate viral particles, reduce the susceptibility of host cells, and act on viral replication stage. Our study provides a novel strategy for the development of LL-37 against viral infection.

The fluorescence mKate2 labeling as a visualizing system for monitoring small extracellular vesicles

Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) are nanosized vesicles enclosed in a lipid membrane released by nearly all cell types. sEVs have been considered as reliable biomarkers for diagnostics and effective carriers. Despite the clear importance of sEV functionality, sEV research faces challenges imposed by the small size and precise imaging of sEVs. Recent advances in live and high-resolution microscopy, combined with efficient labeling strategies, enable us to investigate the composition and behavior of EVs within living organisms. Here, a modified sEVs was generated with a near infrared fluorescence protein mKate2 using a VSVG viral pseudotyping-based approach for monitoring sEVs. An observed was made that the mKate2-tagged protein can be incorporated into the membranes of sEVs without altering their physical properties. In vivo imaging demonstrates that sEVs labeled with mKate2 exhibit excellent brightness and high photostability, allowing the acquisition of long-term investigation comparable to those achieved with mCherry labeling. Importantly, the mKate2-tagged sEVs show a low toxicity and exhibit a favorable safety profile. Furthermore, the co-expression of mKate2 and rabies virus glycoprotein (RVG) peptide on sEVs enables brain-targeted visualization, suggesting the mKate2 tag does not alter the biodistribution of sEVs. Together, the study presents the mKate2 tag as an efficient tracker for sEVs to monitor tissue-targeting and biodistribution in vivo.

ACE2 Receptor-Targeted Inhaled Nanoemulsions Inhibit SARS-CoV-2 and Attenuate Inflammatory Responses

Three kinds of coronaviruses are highly pathogenic to humans, and two of them mainly infect humans through Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 （ACE2）receptors. Therefore, specifically blocking ACE2 binding at the interface with the receptor-binding domain is promising to achieve both preventive and therapeutic effects of coronaviruses. Alternatively, drug-targeted delivery based on ACE2 receptors can further improve the efficacy and safety of inhalation drugs. Here, these two approaches are innovatively combined by designing a nanoemulsion (NE) drug delivery system (termed NE-AYQ) for inhalation that targets binding to ACE2 receptors. This inhalation-delivered remdesivir nanoemulsion (termed RDSV-NE-AYQ) effectively inhibits the infection of target cells by both wild-type and mutant viruses. The RDSV-NE-AYQ strongly inhibits Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 at two dimensions: they not only block the binding of the virus to host cells at the cell surface but also restrict virus replication intracellularly. Furthermore, in the mouse model of acute lung injury, the inhaled drug delivery system loaded with anti-inflammatory drugs (TPCA-1-NE-AYQ) can significantly alleviate the lung tissue injury of mice. This smart combination provides a new choice for dealing with possible emergencies in the future and for the rapid development of inhaled drugs for the treatment of respiratory diseases.

Translational medicine for acute lung injury

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a complex disease with numerous causes. This review begins with a discussion of disease development from direct or indirect pulmonary insults, as well as varied pathogenesis. The heterogeneous nature of ALI is then elaborated upon, including its epidemiology, clinical manifestations, potential biomarkers, and genetic contributions. Although no medication is currently approved for this devastating illness, supportive care and pharmacological intervention for ALI treatment are summarized, followed by an assessment of the pathophysiological gap between human ALI and animal models. Lastly, current research progress on advanced nanomedicines for ALI therapeutics in preclinical and clinical settings is reviewed, demonstrating new opportunities towards developing an effective treatment for ALI.

Exosomes: Friends or Foes in Microbial Infections?

The use of new approaches is necessary to address the global issue of infections caused by drug-resistant pathogens. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) is a promising approach that reduces the emergence of drug resistance, and no resistance has been reported thus far. APDT involves using a photosensitizer (PS), a light source, and oxygen. The mechanism of aPDT is that a specific wavelength of light is directed at the PS in the presence of oxygen, which activates the PS and generates reactive oxygen species (ROS), consequently causing damage to microbial cells. However, due to the PS's poor stability, low solubility in water, and limited bioavailability, it is necessary to employ drug delivery platforms to enhance the effectiveness of PS in photodynamic therapy (PDT). Exosomes are considered a desirable carrier for PS due to their specific characteristics, such as low immunogenicity, innate stability, and high ability to penetrate cells, making them a promising platform for drug delivery. Additionally, exosomes also possess antimicrobial properties, although in some cases, they may enhance microbial pathogenicity. As there are limited studies on the use of exosomes for drug delivery in microbial infections, this review aims to present significant points that can provide accurate insights.

Engineered Extracellular Vesicles: A potential treatment for regeneration

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a critical role in various physiological and pathological processes. EVs have gained recognition in regenerative medicine due to their biocompatibility and low immunogenicity. However, the practical application of EVs faces challenges such as limited targeting ability, low yield, and inadequate therapeutic effects. To overcome these limitations, engineered EVs have emerged. This review aims to comprehensively analyze the engineering methods utilized for modifying donor cells and EVs, with a focus on comparing the therapeutic potential between engineered and natural EVs. Additionally, it aims to investigate the specific cell effects that play a crucial role in promoting repair and regeneration, while also exploring the underlying mechanisms involved in the field of regenerative medicine.

One-pot preparation of bi-functional POSS-based hybrid monolith via photo-initiated polymerization for isolation of extracellular vesicles

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are important participants in numerous pathophysiological processes, and could be used as valuable biomarkers to detect and monitor various diseases. However, facile EV isolation methods are the essential and preliminary issue for their downstream analysis and function investigation. In this work, a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) based hybrid monolith combined metal affinity chromatography (MAC) and distearoyl phospholipid ethanolamine (DSPE) function was developed via photo-initiated thiol-ene polymerization. This synthesis process was facile, simple and convenient, and the obtained hybrid monolith could be applied to efficiently isolate EVs from bio-samples by taking advantages of the specific bond of Ti4+ and phosphate groups on the phospholipid membrane of EVs and the synergistic effect of DSPE insertion. Meanwhile, the eluted EVs could maintain their structural integrity and biological activity, suggesting they could be used for downstream application. Furthermore, 75 up-regulated proteins and 56 down-regulated proteins were identified by comparing the urinary EVs of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and healthy donors, and these proteins might be used as potential biomarkers for early screening of CRC. These results demonstrated that this hybrid monolith could be used as a simple and convenient tool for isolating EVs from bio-samples and for wider applications in biomarker discovery.

Genomic communication via circulating extracellular vesicles and long-term health consequences of COVID-19

COVID-19 continues to affect an unprecedented number of people with the emergence of new variants posing a serious challenge to global health. There is an expansion of knowledge in understanding the pathogenesis of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and the impact of the acute disease on multiple organs. In addition, growing evidence reports that the impact of COVID-19 on different organs persists long after the recovery phase of the disease, leading to long-term consequences of COVID-19. These long-term consequences involve pulmonary as well as extra-pulmonary sequelae of the disease. Noteably, recent research has shown a potential association between COVID-19 and change in the molecular cargo of extracellular vesicles (EVs). EVs are vesicles released by cells and play an important role in cell communication by transfer of bioactive molecules between cells. Emerging evidence shows a strong link between EVs and their molecular cargo, and regulation of metabolism in health and disease. This review focuses on current knowledge about EVs and their potential role in COVID-19 pathogenesis, their current and future implications as tools for biomarker and therapeutic development and their possible effects on long-term impact of COVID-19.

A Review of Extracellular Vesicles in COVID-19 Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

The 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is ongoing, and has necessitated scientific efforts in disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Interestingly, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been crucial in these developments. EVs are a collection of various nanovesicles which are delimited by a lipid bilayer. They are enriched in proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and metabolites, and naturally released from different cells. Their natural material transport properties, inherent long-term recycling ability, excellent biocompatibility, editable targeting, and inheritance of parental cell properties make EVs one of the most promising next-generation drug delivery nanocarriers and active biologics. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many efforts have been made to exploit the payload of natural EVs for the treatment of COVID-19. Furthermore, strategies that use engineered EVs to manufacture vaccines and neutralization traps have produced excellent efficacy in animal experiments and clinical trials. Here, the recent literature on the application of EVs in COVID-19 diagnosis, treatment, damage repair, and prevention is reviewed. And the therapeutic value, application strategies, safety, and biotoxicity in the production and clinical applications of EV agents for COVID-19 treatment, as well as inspiration for using EVs to block and eliminate novel viruses are discussed.

Extracellular Vesicles and Infection: From Hijacked Machinery to Therapeutic Tools

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) comprise a broad range of secreted cell-derived membrane vesicles. Beyond their more well-characterized role in cell communication, in recent years, EVs have also been shown to play important roles during infection. Viruses can hijack the biogenesis of exosomes (which are small EVs) to promote viral spreading. Additionally, these exosomes are also important mediators in inflammation and immune responses during both bacterial and viral infections. This review summarizes these mechanisms while also describing the impact of bacterial EVs in regulating immune responses. Finally, the review also focuses on the potential and challenges of using EVs, in particular, to tackle infectious diseases.

Cathelicidins Target HSP60 To Restrict CVB3 Transmission via Disrupting the Exosome and Reducing Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis

Cathelicidin antimicrobial peptides (mouse, CRAMP; human, LL-37) have broad-spectrum antiviral activities against enveloped viruses, but their mechanisms of action against nonenveloped viruses remain to be elucidated. Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3), a member of nonenveloped virus belonging to the Enterovirus genus of Picornaviridae, is an important pathogen of viral myocarditis and dilated cardiomyopathy. Here, we observed that cardiac CRAMP expression was significantly upregulated in mice after CVB3 infection. The administration of CRAMP or LL-37 markedly suppressed CVB3 infection in mice, and CRAMP deficiency increased the susceptibility of mice to CVB3. CRAMP and LL-37 inhibited CVB3 replication in primary cardiomyocytes. However, they did not inactivate CVB3 particles and did not regulate the response of cardiomyocytes against CVB3 infection. Intriguingly, they inhibited CVB3 transmission through the exosome, but not virus receptor. In detail, CRAMP and LL-37 directly induced the lysis of exosomes by interfering with exosomal heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) and then blocked the diffusion of exosomes to recipient cells and inhibited the establishment of productive infection by exosomes. In addition, the interaction of CRAMP and LL-37 with HSP60 simultaneously inhibited HSP60-induced apoptosis in cardiomyocytes and reduced HSP60-enhanced CVB3 replication. Our findings reveal a novel mechanism of cathelicidins against viral infection and provide a new therapeutic strategy for CVB3-induced viral myocarditis. IMPORTANCE The relative mechanisms that cathelicidin antimicrobial peptides use to influence nonenveloped virus infection are unclear. We show here that cathelicidin antimicrobial peptides (CRAMP and LL-37) directly target exosomal HSP60 to destroy exosomes, which in turn block the diffusion of exosomes to recipient cardiomyocytes and reduced HSP60-induced apoptosis, thus restricting coxsackievirus B3 infection. Our results provide new insights into the mechanisms cathelicidin antimicrobial peptides use against viral infection.

Bacterial Membrane Vesicles as Smart Drug Delivery and Carrier Systems: A New Nanosystems Tool for Current Anticancer and Antimicrobial Therapy

Bacterial membrane vesicles (BMVs) are known to be critical communication tools in several pathophysiological processes between bacteria and host cells. Given this situation, BMVs for transporting and delivering exogenous therapeutic cargoes have been inspiring as promising platforms for developing smart drug delivery systems (SDDSs). In the first section of this review paper, starting with an introduction to pharmaceutical technology and nanotechnology, we delve into the design and classification of SDDSs. We discuss the characteristics of BMVs including their size, shape, charge, effective production and purification techniques, and the different methods used for cargo loading and drug encapsulation. We also shed light on the drug release mechanism, the design of BMVs as smart carriers, and recent remarkable findings on the potential of BMVs for anticancer and antimicrobial therapy. Furthermore, this review covers the safety of BMVs and the challenges that need to be overcome for clinical use. Finally, we discuss the recent advancements and prospects for BMVs as SDDSs and highlight their potential in revolutionizing the fields of nanomedicine and drug delivery. In conclusion, this review paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art field of BMVs as SDDSs, encompassing their design, composition, fabrication, purification, and characterization, as well as the various strategies used for targeted delivery. Considering this information, the aim of this review is to provide researchers in the field with a comprehensive understanding of the current state of BMVs as SDDSs, enabling them to identify critical gaps and formulate new hypotheses to accelerate the progress of the field.

Exosomes mediate Coxsackievirus B3 transmission and expand the viral tropism

Specific virus-receptor interactions are important determinants in viral host range, tropism and pathogenesis, influencing the location and initiation of primary infection as well as viral spread to other target organs/tissues in the postviremic phase. Coxsackieviruses of Group B (CVB) and its six serotypes (CVB1-6) specifically interact with two receptor proteins, coxsackievirus-adenovirus receptor (CAR) and decay-accelerating factor (DAF), and cause various lesions in most permissive tissues. However, our previous data and other studies revealed that virus receptor-negative cells or tissues can be infected with CVB type 3 (CVB3), which can also effectively replicate. To study this interesting finding, we explored the possibility that exosomes are involved in CVB3 tropism and that exosomes functionally enhance CVB3 transmission. We found that exosomes carried and delivered CVB3 virions, resulting in efficient infection in receptor-negative host cells. We also found that delivery of CVB3 virions attached to exosomes depended on the virus receptor CAR. Importantly, exosomes carrying CVB3 virions exhibited greater infection efficiency than free virions because they accessed various entry routes, overcoming restrictions to viral tropism. In vivo experiments demonstrated that inhibition of exosome coupling with virions attenuated CVB3-induced immunological system dysfunction and reduced mortality. Our study describes a new mechanism in which exosomes contribute to viral tropism, spread, and pathogenesis.

Future in precise surgery: Fluorescence-guided surgery using EVs derived fluorescence contrast agent

Surgery is the only cure for many solid tumors, but positive resection margins, damage to vital nerves, vessels and organs during surgery, and the range and extent of lymph node dissection are significant concerns which hinder the development of surgery. The emergence of fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS) means a farewell to the era when surgeons relied only on visual and tactile feedback, and it gives surgeons another eye to distinguish tumors from normal tissues for precise resection and helps to find a balance between complete tumor lesions removal and maximal organ function conservation. However, the existing synthetic fluorescence contrast agent has flaws in safety, specificity and biocompatibility to various extents. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a group of heterogeneous types of cell-derived membranous structures present in all biological fluids. EVs, especially engineered targeting EVs, play an increasingly important role in drug delivery because of their good biocompatibility, validated safety and targeting ability. Nevertheless, few studies have employed EVs loaded with fluorophores to construct fluorescence contrast agents and used them in FGS. Here, we systematically reviewed the current state of knowledge regarding FGS, fundamental characteristics of EVs, and the development of engineered targeting EVs, and put forward a novel strategy and procedures to produce EVs-based fluorescence contrast agent used in fluorescence-guided surgery.

Meet changes with constancy: Defence, antagonism, recovery, and immunity roles of extracellular vesicles in confronting SARS-CoV-2

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has wrought havoc on the world economy and people's daily lives. The inability to comprehensively control COVID-19 is due to the difficulty of early and timely diagnosis, the lack of effective therapeutic drugs, and the limited effectiveness of vaccines. The body contains billions of extracellular vesicles (EVs), which have shown remarkable potential in disease diagnosis, drug development, and vaccine carriers. Recently, increasing evidence has indicated that EVs may participate or assist the body in defence, antagonism, recovery and acquired immunity against SARS-CoV-2. On the one hand, intercepting and decrypting the general intelligence carried in circulating EVs from COVID-19 patients will provide an important hint for diagnosis and treatment; on the other hand, engineered EVs modified by gene editing in the laboratory will amplify the effectiveness of inhibiting infection, replication and destruction of ever-mutating SARS-CoV-2, facilitating tissue repair and making a better vaccine. To comprehensively understand the interaction between EVs and SARS-CoV-2, providing new insights to overcome some difficulties in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of COVID-19, we conducted a rounded review in this area. We also explain numerous critical challenges that these tactics face before they enter the clinic, and this work will provide previous 'meet change with constancy' lessons for responding to future similar public health disasters. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) provide a 'meet changes with constancy' strategy to combat SARS-CoV-2 that spans defence, antagonism, recovery, and acquired immunity. Targets for COVID-19 diagnosis, therapy, and prevention of progression may be found by capture of the message decoding in circulating EVs. Engineered and biomimetic EVs can boost effects of the natural EVs, especially anti-SARS-CoV-2, targeted repair of damaged tissue, and improvement of vaccine efficacy.

Update on Extracellular Vesicle-Based Vaccines and Therapeutics to Combat COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a deep impact on people worldwide since late 2019 when SARS-CoV-2 was first identified in Wuhan, China. In addition to its effect on public health, it has affected humans in various aspects of life, including social, economic, cultural, and political. It is also true that researchers have made vigorous efforts to overcome COVID-19 throughout the world, but they still have a long way to go. Accordingly, innumerable therapeutics and vaccine candidates have been studied for their efficacies and have been tried clinically in a very short span of time. For example, the versatility of extracellular vesicles, which are membrane-bound particles released from all types of cells, have recently been highlighted in terms of their effectiveness, biocompatibility, and safety in the fight against COVID-19. Thus, here, we tried to explain the use of extracellular vesicles as therapeutics and for the development of vaccines against COVID-19. Along with the mechanisms and a comprehensive background of their application in trapping the coronavirus or controlling the cytokine storm, we also discuss the obstacles to the clinical use of extracellular vesicles and how these could be resolved in the future.

Genetically Engineered MRI-Trackable Extracellular Vesicles as SARS-CoV-2 Mimetics for Mapping ACE2 Binding In Vivo

The elucidation of viral-receptor interactions and an understanding of virus-spreading mechanisms are of great importance, particularly in the era of a pandemic. Indeed, advances in computational chemistry, synthetic biology, and protein engineering have allowed precise prediction and characterization of such interactions. Nevertheless, the hazards of the infectiousness of viruses, their rapid mutagenesis, and the need to study viral-receptor interactions in a complex in vivo setup call for further developments. Here, we show the development of biocompatible genetically engineered extracellular vesicles (EVs) that display the receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 on their surface as coronavirus mimetics (EVsRBD). Loading EVsRBD with iron oxide nanoparticles makes them MRI-visible and, thus, allows mapping of the binding of RBD to ACE2 receptors noninvasively in live subjects. Moreover, we show that EVsRBD can be modified to display mutants of the RBD of SARS-CoV-2, allowing rapid screening of currently raised or predicted variants of the virus. The proposed platform thus shows relevance and cruciality in the examination of quickly evolving pathogenic viruses in an adjustable, fast, and safe manner. Relying on MRI for visualization, the presented approach could be considered in the future to map ligand-receptor binding events in deep tissues, which are not accessible to luminescence-based imaging.

Nanocarriers for effective delivery: modulation of innate immunity for the management of infections and the associated complications

Innate immunity is the first line of defense against invading pathogens. Innate immune cells can recognize invading pathogens through recognizing pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) via pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). The recognition of PAMPs by PRRs triggers immune defense mechanisms and the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. However, sustained and overwhelming activation of immune system may disrupt immune homeostasis and contribute to inflammatory disorders. Immunomodulators targeting PRRs may be beneficial to treat infectious diseases and their associated complications. However, therapeutic performances of immunomodulators can be negatively affected by (1) high immune-mediated toxicity, (2) poor solubility and (3) bioactivity loss after long circulation. Recently, nanocarriers have emerged as a very promising tool to overcome these obstacles owning to their unique properties such as sustained circulation, desired bio-distribution, and preferred pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles. In this review, we aim to provide an up-to-date overview on the strategies and applications of nanocarrier-assisted innate immune modulation for the management of infections and their associated complications. We first summarize examples of important innate immune modulators. The types of nanomaterials available for drug delivery, as well as their applications for the delivery of immunomodulatory drugs and vaccine adjuvants are also discussed.

Mesenchymal stem cells and their derived small extracellular vesicles for COVID-19 treatment

Since December 2019, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has imposed huge burdens to the whole world, seriously affecting global economic growth, and threatening people’s lives and health. At present, some therapeutic regimens are available for treatment of COVID-19 pneumonia, including antiviral therapy, immunity therapy, anticoagulant therapy, and others. Among them, injection of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is currently a promising therapy. The preclinical studies and clinical trials using MSCs and small extracellular vesicles derived from MSCs (MSC-sEVs) in treating COVID-19 were summarized. Then, the molecular mechanism, feasibility, and safety of treating COVID-19 with MSCs and MSC-sEVs were also discussed.

Tailored Extracellular Vesicles: Novel Tool for Tissue Regeneration

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play an essential part in multiple pathophysiological processes including tissue injury and regeneration because of their inherent characteristics of small size, low immunogenicity and toxicity, and capability of carrying a variety of bioactive molecules and mediating intercellular communication. Nevertheless, accumulating studies have shown that the application of EVs faces many challenges such as insufficient therapeutic efficacy, a lack of targeting capability, low yield, and rapid clearance from the body. It is known that EVs can be engineered, modified, and designed to encapsulate therapeutic cargos like proteins, peptides, nucleic acids, and drugs to improve their therapeutic efficacy. Targeted peptides, antibodies, aptamers, magnetic nanoparticles, and proteins are introduced to modify various cell-derived EVs for increasing targeting ability. In addition, extracellular vesicle mimetics (EMs) and self-assembly EV-mimicking nanocomplex are applied to improve production and simplify EV purification process. The combination of EVs with biomaterials like hydrogel, and scaffolds dressing endows EVs with long-term therapeutic efficacy and synergistically enhanced regenerative outcome. Thus, we will summarize recent developments of EV modification strategies for more extraordinary regenerative effect in various tissue injury repair. Subsequently, opportunities and challenges of promoting the clinical application of engineered EVs will be discussed.

Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles in the Management of COVID19-Associated Lung Injury: A Review on Publications, Clinical Trials and Patent Landscape

The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic situation forced the scientific community to explore all the possibilities from various fields, and so far we have seen a lot of surprises, eureka moments and disappointments. One of the approaches from the cellular therapists was exploiting the immunomodulatory and regenerative potential of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), more so of MSC-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs)-particularly exosomes, in order to alleviate the cytokine storm and regenerate the damaged lung tissues. Unlike MSCs, the EVs are easier to store, deliver, and are previously shown to be as effective as MSCs, yet less immunogenic. These features attracted the attention of many and thus led to a tremendous increase in publications, clinical trials and patent applications. This review presents the current landscape of the field and highlights some interesting findings on MSC-derived EVs in the context of COVID-19, including in silico, in vitro, in vivo and case reports. The data strongly suggests the potential of MSC-derived EVs as a therapeutic regime for the management of acute lung injury and associated complications in COVID-19 and beyond.

Engineered extracellular vesicles as intelligent nanosystems for next-generation nanomedicine

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), as natural carriers of bioactive cargo, have a unique micro/nanostructure, bioactive composition, and characteristic morphology, as well as fascinating physical, chemical and biochemical features, which have shown promising application in the treatment of a wide range of diseases. However, native EVs have limitations such as lack of or inefficient cell targeting, on-demand delivery, and therapeutic feedback. Recently, EVs have been engineered to contain an intelligent core, enabling them to (i) actively target sites of disease, (ii) respond to endogenous and/or exogenous signals, and (iii) provide treatment feedback for optimal function in the host. These advances pave the way for next-generation nanomedicine and offer promise for a revolution in drug delivery. Here, we summarise recent research on intelligent EVs and discuss the use of "intelligent core" based EV systems for the treatment of disease. We provide a critique about the construction and properties of intelligent EVs, and challenges in their commercialization. We compare the therapeutic potential of intelligent EVs to traditional nanomedicine and highlight key advantages for their clinical application. Collectively, this review aims to provide a new insight into the design of next-generation EV-based theranostic platforms for disease treatment.

Polymerized porin as a novel delivery platform for coronavirus vaccine

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), seriously threatens human life and health. The correct folding and polymerization of the receptor-binding domain (RBD) protein of coronavirus in Escherichia coli may reduce the cost of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. In this study, we constructed this nanopore by using the principle of ClyA porin polymerization triggered by the cell membrane. We used surfactants to "pick" the ClyA-RBD nanopore from the bacterial outer membrane. More importantly, the polymerized RBD displayed on the ClyA-RBD polymerized porin (RBD-PP) already displays some correct spatial conformational epitopes that can induce neutralizing antibodies. The nanostructures of RBD-PP can target lymph nodes and promote antigen uptake and processing by dendritic cells, thereby effectively eliciting the production of anti-SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies, systemic cellular immune responses, and memory T cells. We applied this PP-based vaccine platform to fabricate an RBD-based subunit vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, which will provide a foundation for the development of inexpensive coronavirus vaccines. The development of a novel vaccine delivery system is an important part of innovative drug research. This novel PP-based vaccine platform is likely to have additional applications, including other viral vaccines, bacterial vaccines, tumor vaccines, drug delivery, and disease diagnosis.

Multifunctional role of exosomes in viral diseases: From transmission to diagnosis and therapy

Efforts to discover antiviral drugs and diagnostic platforms have intensified to an unprecedented level since the outbreak of COVID-19. Nano-sized endosomal vesicles called exosomes have gained considerable attention from researchers due to their role in intracellular communication to regulate the biological activity of target cells through cargo proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids. According to recent studies, exosomes play a vital role in viral diseases including covid-19, with their interaction with the host immune system opening the door to effective antiviral treatments. Utilizing the intrinsic nature of exosomes, it is imperative to elucidate how exosomes exert their effect on the immune system or boost viral infectivity. Exosome biogenesis machinery is hijacked by viruses to initiate replication, spread infection, and evade the immune response. Exosomes, however, also participate in protective mechanisms by triggering the innate immune system. Besides that, exosomes released from the cells can carry a robust amount of information about the diseased state, serving as a potential biomarker for detecting viral diseases. This review describes how exosomes increase virus infectivity, act as immunomodulators, and function as a potential drug delivery carrier and diagnostic biomarker for diseases caused by HIV, Hepatitis, Ebola, and Epstein-Barr viruses. Furthermore, the review analyzes various applications of exosomes within the context of COVID-19, including its management.

pH-responsive polyelectrolyte complexation on upconversion nanoparticles: a multifunctional nanocarrier for protection, delivery, and 3D-imaging of therapeutic protein

The delicate tertiary structure of proteins, their susceptibility to heat- and enzyme-induced irreversible denaturation, and their tendency to get accumulated at the cell membrane during uptake are daunting challenges in proteinaceous therapeutic delivery. Herein, a polyelectrolyte complex having encapsulated therapeutic protein has been designed on the surface of upconverting luminescent nanoparticles (NaYF₄:20%Yb³⁺,2%Er³⁺). This nanosized complex system has been found to overcome the challenges of protein aggregation at the cell membrane. It has also defended the cargo from denaturation against (a) enzymatic action of proteinase K and (b) heat (up to 60 °C). Additionally, the nanoparticles at the core of the loaded carrier served as near-infrared (980 nm) responsive probe to accomplish extended-duration 3D imaging during protein delivery. The outer layer of polymer played pivotal role to protect/retrieve the protein structure from denaturation as investigated by circular dichroism studies. Both the masked surface-charges of protein and the nanoscale size of the loaded carrier have facilitated their efficient passage through the cell membrane as observed through 3D images/videos. This nanocarrier is the first of its kind for direct delivery of protein. Thus, the findings can be useful to protect and transport various proteinaceous materials to overcome challenges of accumulation at the cell-membrane and low-temperature storage, as nature does.

Nanoparticle Delivery Platforms for RNAi Therapeutics Targeting COVID-19 Disease in the Respiratory Tract

Since December 2019, a pandemic of COVID-19 disease, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has rapidly spread across the globe. At present, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued emergency approval for the use of some antiviral drugs. However, these drugs still have limitations in the specific treatment of COVID-19, and as such, new treatment strategies urgently need to be developed. RNA-interference-based gene therapy provides a tractable target for antiviral treatment. Ensuring cell-specific targeted delivery is important to the success of gene therapy. The use of nanoparticles (NPs) as carriers for the delivery of small interfering RNA (siRNAs) to specific tissues or organs of the human body could play a crucial role in the specific therapy of severe respiratory infections, such as COVID-19. In this review, we describe a variety of novel nanocarriers, such as lipid NPs, star polymer NPs, and glycogen NPs, and summarize the pre-clinical/clinical progress of these nanoparticle platforms in siRNA delivery. We also discuss the application of various NP-capsulated siRNA as therapeutics for SARS-CoV-2 infection, the challenges with targeting these therapeutics to local delivery in the lung, and various inhalation devices used for therapeutic administration. We also discuss currently available animal models that are used for preclinical assessment of RNA-interference-based gene therapy. Advances in this field have the potential for antiviral treatments of COVID-19 disease and could be adapted to treat a range of respiratory diseases.

Generation of Spike-Extracellular Vesicles (S-EVs) as a Tool to Mimic SARS-CoV-2 Interaction with Host Cells

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) and viruses share common features: size, structure, biogenesis and uptake. In order to generate EVs expressing the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein on their surface (S-EVs), we collected EVs from SARS-CoV-2 spike expressing human embryonic kidney (HEK-293T) cells by stable transfection with a vector coding for the S1 and S2 subunits. S-EVs were characterized using nanoparticle tracking analysis, ExoView and super-resolution microscopy. We obtained a population of EVs of 50 to 200 nm in size. Spike expressing EVs represented around 40% of the total EV population and co-expressed spike protein with tetraspanins on the surfaces of EVs. We subsequently used ACE2-positive endothelial and bronchial epithelial cells for assessing the internalization of labeled S-EVs using a cytofluorimetric analysis. Internalization of S-EVs was higher than that of control EVs from non-transfected cells. Moreover, S-EV uptake was significantly decreased by anti-ACE2 antibody pre-treatment. Furthermore, colchicine, a drug currently used in clinical trials, significantly reduced S-EV entry into the cells. S-EVs represent a simple, safe, and scalable model to study host-virus interactions and the mechanisms of novel therapeutic drugs.

Viral Membrane Fusion Proteins and RNA Sorting Mechanisms for the Molecular Delivery by Exosomes

The advancement of precision medicine critically depends on the robustness and specificity of the carriers used for the targeted delivery of effector molecules in the human body. Numerous nanocarriers have been explored in vivo, to ensure the precise delivery of molecular cargos via tissue-specific targeting, including the endocrine part of the pancreas, thyroid, and adrenal glands. However, even after reaching the target organ, the cargo-carrying vehicle needs to enter the cell and then escape lysosomal destruction. Most artificial nanocarriers suffer from intrinsic limitations that prevent them from completing the specific delivery of the cargo. In this respect, extracellular vesicles (EVs) seem to be the natural tool for payload delivery due to their versatility and low toxicity. However, EV-mediated delivery is not selective and is usually short-ranged. By inserting the viral membrane fusion proteins into exosomes, it is possible to increase the efficiency of membrane recognition and also ease the process of membrane fusion. This review describes the molecular details of the viral-assisted interaction between the target cell and EVs. We also discuss the question of the usability of viral fusion proteins in developing extracellular vesicle-based nanocarriers with a higher efficacy of payload delivery. Finally, this review specifically highlights the role of Gag and RNA binding proteins in RNA sorting into EVs.

Exosomes as New Biomarkers and Drug Delivery Tools for the Prevention and Treatment of Various Diseases: Current Perspectives

Exosomes are nano-sized vesicles secreted by most cells that contain a variety of biological molecules, such as lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. They have been recognized as important mediators for long-distance cell-to-cell communication and are involved in a variety of biological processes. Exosomes have unique advantages, positioning them as highly effective drug delivery tools and providing a distinct means of delivering various therapeutic agents to target cells. In addition, as a new clinical diagnostic biomarker, exosomes play an important role in many aspects of human health and disease, including endocrinology, inflammation, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. In this review, we summarize the development of exosome-based drug delivery tools and the validation of novel biomarkers, and illustrate the role of exosomes as therapeutic targets in the prevention and treatment of various diseases.