Navigating the brain: the role of exosomal shuttles in precision therapeutics

Exosome Enveloped by Nano Lipid Particle a New Model for Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 Silencer Ribonucleic Acid Delivery System to a Glioblastoma Mice Model

Background/Objectives: Glioblastoma is a highly aggressive brain tumor with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) plays a crucial role in glioblastoma progression, making it a promising therapeutic target. However, effective delivery of STAT3-silencing agents across the blood-brain barrier remains a significant challenge. This study evaluates the efficacy of Lipid Nanoparticles-EXOSOME COMPLEX STAT3-silencer treatment in reducing glioblastoma tumor growth by facilitating efficient small interfering RNA delivery and inhibiting STAT3 expression. Methods: A novel exosome-based drug delivery system was developed using NLP-EXOSOME COMPLEX nanoparticles loaded with STAT3-silencer siRNA. The therapeutic efficacy was assessed in vitro using human glioblastoma cell lines and in vivo using a glioblastoma mouse model. Tumor progression, STAT3 expression levels, and survival rates were analyzed. Results: The results demonstrated that Lipid Nanoparticles-EXOSOME COMPLEX effectively transported STAT3-silencer siRNA into glioblastoma cells, leading to significant STAT3 downregulation. This resulted in reduced tumor proliferation, increased apoptosis, and extended survival in vivo. The combination of lipid nanoparticles and exosomes provided a stable and efficient delivery mechanism with improved uptake and therapeutic efficacy. Conclusion: Lipid Nanoparticles-EXOSOME COMPLEX STAT3-silencer treatment offers a promising approach for targeted glioblastoma therapy by overcoming the blood-brain barrier limitations and enhancing STAT3 inhibition. Further research is necessary to optimize long-term efficacy, assess potential immune responses, and explore combinatory therapeutic strategies for improved patient outcomes.

Exosome-powered neuropharmaceutics: unlocking the blood-brain barrier for next-gen therapies

BACKGROUND

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) presents a formidable challenge in neuropharmacology, limiting the delivery of therapeutic agents to the brain. Exosomes, nature's nanocarriers, have emerged as a promising solution due to their biocompatibility, low immunogenicity, and innate ability to traverse the BBB. A thorough examination of BBB anatomy and physiology reveals the complexities of neurological drug delivery and underscores the limitations of conventional methods.

MAIN BODY

This review explores the potential of exosome-powered neuropharmaceutics, highlighting their structural and functional properties, biogenesis, and mechanisms of release. Their intrinsic advantages in drug delivery, including enhanced stability and efficient cellular uptake, are discussed in detail. Exosomes naturally overcome BBB barriers through specific translocation mechanisms, making them a compelling vehicle for targeted brain therapies. Advances in engineering strategies, such as genetic and biochemical modifications, drug loading techniques, and specificity enhancement, further bolster their therapeutic potential. Exosome-based approaches hold immense promise for treating a spectrum of neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), brain tumors, stroke, and psychiatric conditions.

CONCLUSION

By leveraging their innate properties and engineering innovations, exosomes offer a versatile platform for precision neurotherapeutics. Despite their promise, challenges remain in clinical translation, including large-scale production, standardization, and regulatory considerations. Future research directions in exosome nanobiotechnology aim to refine these therapeutic strategies, unlocking new avenues for treating neurological diseases. This review underscores the transformative impact of exosome-based drug delivery, paving the way for next-generation therapies that can effectively penetrate the BBB and revolutionize neuropharmacology.

A Review of the Neuroprotective Properties of Exosomes Derived from Stem Cells and Exosome-Coated Nanoparticles for Treating Neurodegenerative Diseases and Stroke

Neurological diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders and stroke, represent significant medical challenges due to their complexity and the limitations of current treatment approaches. This review explores the potential of stem cell (SC)-derived exosomes (Exos) as a transformative therapeutic strategy for these diseases. Exos, especially those derived from SCs, exhibit natural targeting ability, biocompatibility, and the capacity to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), making them ideal vehicles for drug delivery. This review provides an in-depth discussion of the properties and advantages of SC-Exos. It highlights their potential synergistic benefits in therapeutic approaches to treat neurological diseases. This article discusses the mechanisms of action of SC-Exos, highlighting their ability to target specific cells, modulate disease pathways, and provide controlled release of therapeutic agents. Applications in specific neurological disorders have been investigated, demonstrating the potential to improve outcomes in conditions such as Alzheimer's Disease (AD), Parkinson's Disease (PD), and stroke. Moreover, Exos-coated nanoparticles (NPs) combine the natural properties of Exos with the multifunctionality of NPs. This integration takes advantage of exosome membrane biocompatibility and targeting capabilities while preserving NPs' beneficial features, such as drug loading and controlled release. As a result, Exos-coated NPs may enhance the precision, efficacy, and safety of therapeutic interventions. In conclusion, SC-Exos represent a promising and innovative approach to treating neurological diseases.

HucMSCs-derived Exosomes Protect Against 6-hydroxydopamineinduced Parkinson's Disease in Rats by Inhibiting Caspase-3 Expression and Suppressing Apoptosis

OBJECTIVE

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with symptoms including tremor and bradykinesia, while traditional dopamine replacement therapy and hypothalamic deep brain stimulation can temporarily relieve patients' symptoms, they cannot cure the disease. Hence, discovering new methods is crucial to designing more effective therapeutic approaches to address the condition. In our previous study, we found that exosomes (Exos) derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hucMSCs) repaired a PD model by inducing dopaminergic neuron autophagy and inhibiting microglia. However, it is not clear whether its therapeutic effect is related to inhibiting apoptosis by inhibiting caspase-3 expression.

METHODS

Three intervention schemes were used concerning previous literature, and the dosage of each scheme is the same, with different dosing intervals and treatment courses and to compare the aspects of behavior, histomorphology, and biochemical indexes. To predict and determine target gene enrichment, high-throughput sequencing and miRNA expression profiling of exosomes, GO and KEGG analysis, and Western blot were used.

RESULTS

Exos labeled with PKH67 were found to reach the substantia nigra through the bloodbrain barrier and existed in the liver and spleen. 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) induced PD rats were treated with Exos every two days for one month, which alleviated the asymmetric rotation induced by morphine, reduced the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, and increased dopamine levels in the striatum. The effect became more significant as the treatment time was extended to two months. These results suggest that hucMSCs-Exos can inhibit the 6-OHDA- induced neuron damage in PD rats, and its neuroprotective effects may be mediated by inhibiting cell apoptosis. Through high-throughput sequencing of miRNA, potential targets for Exos to inhibit apoptosis may be BAD, IKBKB, TRAF2, BCL2, and CYCS.

CONCLUSION

The above results indicate that hucMSCs-Exos can inhibit 6-OHDA-induced damage in PD rats, and its neuroprotective effect may be mediated by inhibiting cell apoptosis.

The potential of exosomes as a new therapeutic strategy for glioblastoma

Glioblastoma (GBM) stands for the most common and aggressive type of brain tumour in adults. It is highly invasive, which explains its short rate of survival. Little is known about its risk factors, and current therapy is still ineffective. Hence, efforts are underway to develop novel and effective treatment approaches against this type of cancer. Exosomes are being explored as a promising strategy for conveying and delivering therapeutic cargo to GBM cells. They can fuse with the GBM cell membrane and, consequently, serve as delivery systems in this context. Due to their nanoscale size, exosomes can cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which constitutes a significant hurdle to most chemotherapeutic drugs used against GBM. They can subsequently inhibit oncogenes, activate tumour suppressor genes, induce immune responses, and control cell growth. However, despite representing a promising tool for the treatment of GBM, further research and clinical studies regarding exosome biology, engineering, and clinical applications still need to be completed. Here, we sought to review the application of exosomes in the treatment of GBM through an in-depth analysis of the scientific and clinical studies on the entire process, from the isolation and purification of exosomes to their design and transformation into anti-oncogenic drug delivery systems. Surface modification of exosomes to enhance BBB penetration and GBM-cell targeting is also a topic of discussion.

From bench to bedside: The promising value of exosomes in precision medicine for CNS tumors

Exosomes are naturally present extracellular vesicles (EVs) released into the surrounding body fluids upon the fusion of polycystic and plasma membranes. They facilitate intercellular communication by transporting DNA, mRNA, microRNA, long non-coding RNA, circular RNA, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. They contribute to the onset and progression of Central Nervous System (CNS) tumors. In addition, they can be used as biomarkers of tumor proliferation, migration, and blood vessel formation, thereby affecting the Tumor Microenvironment (TME). This paper reviews the recent advancements in the diagnosis and treatment of exosomes in various CNS tumors, the promise and challenges of exosomes as natural carriers of CNS tumors, and the therapeutic prospects of exosomes in CNS tumors. Furthermore, we hope this research can contribute to the development of more targeted and effective treatments for central nervous system tumors.