Exosomal microRNA-98-5p from hypoxic bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells inhibits myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury by reducing TLR4 and activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway

Multiple delivery strategies of nanocarriers for myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury: current strategies and future prospective

Acute myocardial infarction, characterized by high morbidity and mortality, has now become a serious health hazard for human beings. Conventional surgical interventions to restore blood flow can rapidly relieve acute myocardial ischemia, but the ensuing myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MI/RI) and subsequent heart failure have become medical challenges that researchers have been trying to overcome. The pathogenesis of MI/RI involves several mechanisms, including overproduction of reactive oxygen species, abnormal mitochondrial function, calcium overload, and other factors that induce cell death and inflammatory responses. These mechanisms have led to the exploration of antioxidant and inflammation-modulating therapies, as well as the development of myocardial protective factors and stem cell therapies. However, the short half-life, low bioavailability, and lack of targeting of these drugs that modulate these pathological mechanisms, combined with liver and spleen sequestration and continuous washout of blood flow from myocardial sites, severely compromise the expected efficacy of clinical drugs. To address these issues, employing conventional nanocarriers and integrating them with contemporary biomimetic nanocarriers, which rely on passive targeting and active targeting through precise modifications, can effectively prolong the duration of therapeutic agents within the body, enhance their bioavailability, and augment their retention at the injured myocardium. Consequently, these approaches significantly enhance therapeutic effectiveness while minimizing toxic side effects. This article reviews current drug delivery systems used for MI/RI, aiming to offer a fresh perspective on treating this disease.

Atoh1 overexpression promotes Guinea pig bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells to differentiate into neural stem cell

Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is a prevalent condition in otolaryngology. A key obstacle is finding effective strategies for regenerating damaged cochlear hair cells in adult animals. A practical and reliable approach has been developed to create a superior cell source for stem cell transplantation in the inner ear to treat SNHL. Atoh1 is involved in the differentiation of neurons, intestinal secretory cells, and mechanoreceptors including auditory hair cells, and thus plays an important role in neurogenesis. Lentivirus-mediated transfection of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) was utilized to achieve stable expression of the essential transcription factor Atoh1, which is crucial for developing auditory hair cells without compromising cell survival. By manipulating the induction conditions through altering the cell growth environment using anti-adherent culture, the synergistic impact of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) was effectively applied to significantly improve the differentiation efficiency of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC) into neural stem cells (NSCs) following Atoh1 transfection, thereby reducing the induction time. The study indicated that the newly proposed transdifferentiation method effectively transformed BMSCs into NSCs in a controlled environment, presenting a potential approach for stem cell transplantation to promote hair cell regeneration.

The Discovery of Extracellular Vesicles and Their Emergence as a Next-Generation Therapy

From their humble discovery as cellular debris to cementing their natural capacity to transfer functional molecules between cells, the long-winded journey of extracellular vesicles (EVs) now stands at the precipice as a next-generation cell-free therapeutic tool to revolutionize modern-day medicine. This perspective provides a snapshot of the discovery of EVs to their emergence as a vibrant field of biology and the renaissance they usher in the field of biomedical sciences as therapeutic agents for cardiovascular pathologies. Rapid development of bioengineered EVs is providing innovative opportunities to overcome biological challenges of natural EVs such as potency, cargo loading and enhanced secretion, targeting and circulation half-life, localized and sustained delivery strategies, approaches to enhance systemic circulation, uptake and lysosomal escape, and logistical hurdles encompassing scalability, cost, and time. A multidisciplinary collaboration beyond the field of biology now extends to chemistry, physics, biomaterials, and nanotechnology, allowing rapid development of designer therapeutic EVs that are now entering late-stage human clinical trials.

Exosomes-Mediated Signaling Pathway: A New Direction for Treatment of Organ Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

Ischemia reperfusion (I/R) is a common pathological process which occurs mostly in organs like the heart, brain, kidney, and lung. The injury caused by I/R gradually becomes one of the main causes of fatal diseases, which is an urgent clinical problem to be solved. Although great progress has been made in therapeutic methods, including surgical, drug, gene therapy, and transplant therapy for I/R injury, the development of effective methods to cure the injury remains a worldwide challenge. In recent years, exosomes have attracted much attention for their important roles in immune response, antigen presentation, cell migration, cell differentiation, and tumor invasion. Meanwhile, exosomes have been shown to have great potential in the treatment of I/R injury in organs. The study of the exosome-mediated signaling pathway can not only help to reveal the mechanism behind exosomes promoting reperfusion injury recovery, but also provide a theoretical basis for the clinical application of exosomes. Here, we review the research progress in utilizing various exosomes from different cell types to promote the healing of I/R injury, focusing on the classical signaling pathways such as PI3K/Akt, NF-κB, Nrf2, PTEN, Wnt, MAPK, toll-like receptor, and AMPK. The results suggest that exosomes regulate these signaling pathways to reduce oxidative stress, regulate immune responses, decrease the expression of inflammatory cytokines, and promote tissue repair, making exosomes a competitive emerging vector for treating I/R damage in organs.

Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes in myocardial infarction: Therapeutic potential and application

Myocardial infarction refers to the irreversible impairment of cardiac function resulting from the permanent loss of numerous cardiomyocytes and the formation of scar tissue. This condition is caused by acute and persistent inadequate blood supply to the heart's arteries. In the treatment of myocardial infarction, Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) play a crucial role because of their powerful therapeutic effects. These effects primarily stem from the paracrine secretion of multiple factors by MSCs, with exosome-carried microRNAs being the most effective component in promoting cardiac function recovery after infarction. Exosome therapy has emerged as a promising cell-free treatment for myocardial infarction as a result of its relatively simple composition, low immunogenicity and controlled transplantation dose. Despite these advantages, maintaining the stability of exosomes after transplantation and enhancing their targeting effect remain significant challenges in clinical applications. In recent developments, several approaches have been designed to optimize exosome therapy. These include enhancing exosome retention, improving their ability to target specific effects, pretreating MSC-derived exosomes and employing transgenic MSC-derived exosomes. This review primarily focuses on describing the biological characteristics of exosomes, their therapeutic potential and their application in treating myocardial infarction.

A Powerful Tool in the Treatment of Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury: Natural and Nanoscale Modified Small Extracellular Vesicles Derived from Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MI/RI) constitutes a pivotal determinant impacting the long-term prognosis of individuals afflicted by ischemic cardiomyopathy subsequent to reperfusion therapy. Stem cells have garnered extensive application within the realm of MI/RI investigation, yielding tangible outcomes. Stem cell therapy encounters certain challenges in its application owing to the complexities associated with stem cell acquisition, a diminished homing rate, and a brief in vivo lifespan. Small extracellular vesicles (sEV) originating from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been demonstrated to possess the benefits of abundant availability, reduced immunogenicity, and a diminished tumorigenic incidence. They can exert their effects on damaged organs, improving injuries by transporting a lot of constituents, including proteins, RNA, lipid droplets, and more. This phenomenon has garnered substantial attention in the context of MI/RI treatment. Simultaneously, MSC-derived sEV (MSC-sEV) can exhibit enhanced therapeutic advantages through bioengineering modifications, biomaterial incorporation, and natural drug interventions. Within this discourse, we shall appraise the utilization of MSC-sEV and their derivatives in the context of MI/RI treatment, aiming to offer valuable insights for future research endeavors related to MI/RI.

Mechanisms and therapeutic strategies of extracellular vesicles in cardiovascular diseases

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) significantly impacts global society since it is the leading cause of death and disability worldwide, and extracellular vesicle (EV)-based therapies have been extensively investigated. EV delivery is involved in mediating the progression of CVDs and has great potential to be biomarker and therapeutic molecular carrier. Besides, EVs from stem cells and cardiac cells can effectively protect the heart from various pathologic conditions, and then serve as an alternative treatment for CVDs. Moreover, the research of using EVs as delivery carriers of therapeutic molecules, membrane engineering modification of EVs, or combining EVs with biomaterials further improves the application potential of EVs in clinical treatment. However, currently there are only a few articles summarizing the application of EVs in CVDs. This review provides an overview of the role of EVs in the pathogenesis and diagnosis of CVDs. It also focuses on how EVs promote the repair of myocardial injury and therapeutic methods of CVDs. In conclusion, it is of great significance to review the research on the application of EVs in the treatment of CVDs, which lays a foundation for further exploration of the role of EVs, and clarifies the prospect of EVs in the treatment of myocardial injury.

D-allose Inhibits TLR4/PI3K/AKT Signaling to Attenuate Neuroinflammation and Neuronal Apoptosis by Inhibiting Gal-3 Following Ischemic Stroke

BACKGROUND

Ischemic stroke (IS) occurs when a blood vessel supplying the brain becomes obstructed, resulting in cerebral ischemia. This type of stroke accounts for approximately 87% of all strokes. Globally, IS leads to high mortality and poor prognosis and is associated with neuroinflammation and neuronal apoptosis. D-allose is a bio-substrate of glucose that is widely expressed in many plants. Our previous study showed that D-allose exerted neuroprotective effects against acute cerebral ischemic/reperfusion (I/R) injury by reducing neuroinflammation. Here, we aimed to clarify the beneficial effects D-allose in suppressing IS-induced neuroinflammation damage, cytotoxicity, neuronal apoptosis and neurological deficits and the underlying mechanism in vitro and in vivo.

METHODS

In vivo, an I/R model was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion (MCAO/R) in C57BL/6 N mice, and D-allose was given by intraperitoneal injection within 5 min after reperfusion. In vitro, mouse hippocampal neuronal cells (HT-22) with oxygen-glucose deprivation and reperfusion (OGD/R) were established as a cell model of IS. Neurological scores, some cytokines, cytotoxicity and apoptosis in the brain and cell lines were measured. Moreover, Gal-3 short hairpin RNAs, lentiviruses and adeno-associated viruses were used to modulate Gal-3 expression in neurons in vitro and in vivo to reveal the molecular mechanism.

RESULTS

D-allose alleviated cytotoxicity, including cell viability, LDH release and apoptosis, in HT-22 cells after OGD/R, which also alleviated brain injury, as indicated by lesion volume, brain edema, neuronal apoptosis, and neurological functional deficits, in a mouse model of I/R. Moreover, D-allose decreased the release of inflammatory factors, such as IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α. Furthermore, the expression of Gal-3 was increased by I/R in wild-type mice and HT-22 cells, and this factor further bound to TLR4, as confirmed by three-dimensional structure prediction and Co-IP. Silencing the Gal-3 gene with shRNAs decreased the activation of TLR4 signaling and alleviated IS-induced neuroinflammation, apoptosis and brain injury. Importantly, the loss of Gal-3 enhanced the D-allose-mediated protection against I/R-induced HT-22 cell injury, inflammatory insults and apoptosis, whereas activation of TLR4 by the selective agonist LPS increased the degree of neuronal injury and abolished the protective effects of D-allose.

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, D-allose plays a crucial role in inhibiting inflammation after IS by suppressing Gal-3/TLR4/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in vitro and in vivo.

The role of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury

Myocardial ischemia has a high incidence and mortality rate, and reperfusion is currently the standard intervention. However, reperfusion may lead to further myocardial damage, known as myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MIRI). There are currently no effective clinical treatments for MIRI. The PI3K/Akt signaling pathway is involved in cardiovascular health and disease and plays an important role in reducing myocardial infarct size and restoring cardiac function after MIRI. Activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway provides myocardial protection through synergistic upregulation of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and autophagy activities and inhibition of mitochondrial dysfunction and cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Many studies have shown that PI3K/Akt has a significant protective effect against MIRI. Here, we reviewed the molecular regulation of PI3K/Akt in MIRI and summarized the molecular mechanism by which PI3K/Akt affects MIRI, the effects of ischemic preconditioning and ischemic postconditioning, and the role of related drugs or activators targeting PI3K/Akt in MIRI, providing novel insights for the formulation of myocardial protection strategies. This review provides evidence of the role of PI3K/Akt activation in MIRI and supports its use as a therapeutic target.

Stem cell Derived Extracellular Vesicles to Alleviate ischemia-reperfusion Injury of Transplantable Organs. A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

The possible beneficial effects of stem cell-derived EV on ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in organ transplantation have been frequently investigated; however, the source of EV, as well as the methods of isolation and administration vary widely. We conducted a systematic review to summarize current pre-clinical evidence on stem cell-derived EV therapy for IRI of transplantable organs.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase and Web of Science were searched from inception until August 19th, 2022, for studies on stem cell-derived EV therapy for IRI after heart, kidney, liver, pancreas, lung and intestine transplantation. The Systematic Review Center for Laboratory animal Experiments (SYRCLE) guidelines were followed to assess potential risk of bias.

RESULTS

The search yielded 4153 unique articles, of which 96 were retained. We identified 32 studies on cardiac IRI, 38 studies on renal IRI, 21 studies on liver IRI, four studies on lung IRI and one study on intestinal IRI. Most studies used rodent models of transient ischemic injury followed by in situ reperfusion. In all studies, EV therapy was associated with improved outcome albeit to a variable degree. EV-therapy reduced organ injury and improved function while displaying anti-inflammatory-, immunomodulatory- and pro-regenerative properties.

CONCLUSION

A multitude of animal studies support the potential of stem cell-derived EV-therapy to alleviate IRI after solid organ transplantation but suffer from low reporting quality and wide methodological variability. Future studies should focus on determining optimal stem cell source, dosage, and timing of treatment, as well as long-term efficacy in transplant models.

Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Exosomal Noncoding RNAs as Alternative Treatments for Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury: Current Status and Future Perspectives

Ischemic cardiomyopathy is treated mainly with thrombolytic drugs, percutaneous coronary intervention, and coronary artery bypass grafting to recanalize blocked vessels. Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) is an unavoidable complication of obstructive revascularization. Compared with those of myocardial ischemic injury, few effective therapeutic options are available for MIRI treatment. The pathophysiological mechanisms of MIRI involve the inflammatory response, the immune response, oxidative stress, apoptosis, intracellular Ca2+ overload, and cardiomyocyte energy metabolism. These mechanisms exacerbate MIRI. Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (MSC-EXOs) can alleviate MIRI through these mechanisms and, to some extent, prevent the limitations caused by direct MSC administration. Therefore, using MSC-EXOs instead of MSCs to treat MIRI is a potentially beneficial cell-free treatment strategy. In this review, we describe the mechanism of action of MSC-EXO-derived noncoding RNAs in the treatment of MIRI and discuss the advantages and limitations of this strategy, as well as possible future research directions.

Extracellular Vesicle MicroRNAs in Heart Failure: Pathophysiological Mediators and Therapeutic Targets

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are emerging mediators of intracellular and inter-organ communications in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), especially in the pathogenesis of heart failure through the transference of EV-containing bioactive substances. microRNAs (miRNAs) are contained in EV cargo and are involved in the progression of heart failure. Over the past several years, a growing body of evidence has suggested that the biogenesis of miRNAs and EVs is tightly regulated, and the sorting of miRNAs into EVs is highly selective and tightly controlled. Extracellular miRNAs, particularly circulating EV-miRNAs, have shown promising potential as prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers for heart failure and as therapeutic targets. In this review, we summarize the latest progress concerning the role of EV-miRNAs in HF and their application in a therapeutic strategy development for heart failure.

DNA and RNA Molecules as a Foundation of Therapy Strategies for Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases

There has always been a tendency of medicine to take an individualised approach to treating patients, but the most significant advances were achieved through the methods of molecular biology, where the nucleic acids are in the limelight. Decades of research of molecular biology resulted in setting medicine on a completely new platform. The most significant current research is related to the possibilities that DNA and RNA analyses can offer in terms of more precise diagnostics and more subtle stratification of patients in order to identify patients for specific therapy treatments. Additionally, principles of structure and functioning of nucleic acids have become a motive for creating entirely new therapy strategies and an innovative generation of drugs. All this also applies to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) which are the leading cause of mortality in developed countries. This review considers the most up-to-date achievements related to the use of translatory potential of DNA and RNA in treatment of cardiovascular diseases, and considers the challenges and prospects in this field. The foundations which allow the use of translatory potential are also presented. The first part of this review focuses on the potential of the DNA variants which impact conventional therapies and on the DNA variants which are starting points for designing new pharmacotherapeutics. The second part of this review considers the translatory potential of non-coding RNA molecules which can be used to formulate new generations of therapeutics for CVDs.

CircHECTD1 promoted MIRI-associated inflammation via inhibiting miR-138-5p and upregulating ROCK2

Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) was often observed after surgeries, causing a lot of suffering to patients. Inflammation and apoptosis were critical determinants during MIRI. We conveyed experiments to reveal the regulatory functions of circHECTD1 in MIRI development. The Rat MIRI model was established and determined by 2,3,5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. We analyzed cell apoptosis using TUNEL and flow cytometry. Proteins expression was evaluated by western blot. The RNA level was determined by qRT-PCR. Secreted inflammatory factors were analyzed by ELISA assay. To predict the interaction sequences on circHECTD1, miR-138-5p, and ROCK2, bioinformatics analysis was performed. Dual-luciferase assay was used to confirm these interaction sequences. CircHECTD1 and ROCK2 were upregulated in the rat MIRI model, while miR-138-5p was decreased. CircHECTD1 knockdown alleviated H/R-induced inflammation in H9c2 cells. Direct interaction and regulation of circHECTD1/miR-138-5p and miR-138-5p/ROCK2 were confirmed by dual-luciferase assay. CircHECTD1 promoted H/R-induced inflammation and cell apoptosis by inhibiting miR-138-5p. miR-138-5p alleviated H/R-induced inflammation, while ectopic ROCK2 antagonized such effect of miR-138-5p. Our research suggested that the circHECTD1-modulated miR-138-5p suppressing is responsible for ROCK2 activation during H/R-induced inflammatory response, providing a novel insight into MIRI-associated inflammation.

Characterization of the circulating transcriptome expression profile and identification of novel miRNA biomarkers in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), one of the most common genetic cardiovascular diseases, but cannot be explained by single genetic factors. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are stable and highly conserved. Inflammation and immune response participate in HCM pathophysiology, but whether the miRNA profile changes correspondingly in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with HCM is unclear. Herein, we aimed to investigate the circulating non-coding RNA (ncRNA) expression profile in PBMCs and identify potential miRNAs for HCM biomarkers.

METHODS

A Custom CeRNA Human Gene Expression Microarray was used to identify differentially expressed (DE) mRNAs, miRNAs, and ncRNAs (including circRNA and lncRNA) in HCM PBMCs. Weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) was used to identify HCM-related miRNA and mRNA modules. The mRNAs and miRNAs from the key modules were used to construct a co-expression network. Three separate machine learning algorithms (random forest, support vector machine, and logistic regression) were applied to identify potential biomarkers based on miRNAs from the HCM co-expression network. Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database (GSE188324) and experimental samples were used for further verification. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network was used to determine the potential functions of the selected miRNAs in HCM.

RESULTS

We identified 1194 DE-mRNAs, 232 DE-miRNAs and 7696 DE-ncRNAs in HCM samples compared with normal controls from the microarray data sets. WGCNA identified key miRNA modules and mRNA modules evidently associated with HCM. We constructed a miRNA‒mRNA co-expression network based on these modules. A total of three hub miRNAs (miR-924, miR-98 and miR-1) were identified by random forest, and the areas under the receiver operator characteristic curves of miR-924, miR-98 and miR-1 were 0.829, 0.866, and 0.866, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

We elucidated the transcriptome expression profile in PBMCs and identified three hub miRNAs (miR-924, miR-98 and miR-1) as potential biomarkers for HCM detection.

Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes: a possible therapeutic strategy for repairing heart injuries

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are one of the most potent therapeutic strategies for repairing cardiac injury. It has been shown in the latest studies that MSCs cannot survive in the heart for a long time. Consequently, the exosomes secreted by MSCs may dominate the repair of heart injury and promote the restoration of cardiac cells, vascular proliferation, immune regulation, etc. Based on the current research, the progress of the acting mechanism, application prospects and challenges of exosomes, including non-coding RNA, in repairing cardiac injuries are summarised in this article.

Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury; Molecular mechanisms and prevention

Cardiovascular diseases are one of the leading causes of mortality in developed countries. Among cardiovascular disorders, myocardial infarction remains a life-threatening problem predisposing to the development and progression of ischemic heart failure. Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is a critical cause of myocardial injury. In recent decades, many efforts have been made to find the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the development of myocardial I/R injury and post-ischemic remodeling. Some of these mechanisms are mitochondrial dysfunction, metabolic alterations, inflammation, high production of ROS, and autophagy deregulation. Despite continuous efforts, myocardial I/R injury remains a major challenge in medical treatments of thrombolytic therapy, heart disease, primary percutaneous coronary intervention, and coronary arterial bypass grafting. The development of effective therapeutic strategies to reduce or prevent myocardial I/R injury is of great clinical significance.

Bone marrow stromal cell‐derived exosomes improve oxidative stress and pyroptosis in doxorubicin‐induced myocardial injury in vitro by regulating the transcription of GSDMD through the PI3K‐AKT‐Foxo1 pathway

Objectives

Doxorubicin (DOX) can contribute to severe myocardial injury, and bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC)‐exosomes (Exos) improves acute myocardial infarction. Hence, this research investigated whether BMSC‐Exos alleviated DOX‐induced myocardial injury.

Methods

BMSC‐derived Exos were isolated and identified, and the optimal concentration of DOX was confirmed. H9C2 cells were treated with DOX and BMSC‐Exos or in combination with the protein kinase B (AKT) inhibitor. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and JC‐1 were detected to assess oxidative stress (OS) and mitochondrial membrane damage, respectively. In addition, the expression of pyroptosis‐related molecules was measured. The expression of phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)‐AKT pathway‐related proteins and the phosphorylation and acetylation of forkhead box O1 (Foxo1) in the cell nucleus and cytoplasm were tested. Last, interactions between Foxo1 and gasdermin D (GSDMD) were assessed.

Results

BMSC‐Exo treatment increased viability and mitochondrial membrane potential and reduced lactic dehydrogenase release and ROS levels in DOX‐treated H9C2 cells. Furthermore, the addition of BMSC‐Exos suppressed DOX‐induced activation and upregulation of NLRP3 and apoptosis‐associated speck‐like protein containing A CARD (ASC) and in vitro cleavage of caspase‐1, GSDMD, interleukin (IL)‐1β, and IL‐18 proteins. Additionally, BMSC‐Exo treatment enhanced the expression of phosphorylated (p)‐PI3K, p‐AKT, and p‐mTOR in DOX‐treated H9C2 cells and the levels of phosphorylated Foxo1 in the cytoplasm of DOX‐treated H9C2 cells. Foxo1 was enriched in the promoter region of GSDMD. Moreover, the AKT inhibitor API‐2 annulled the effects of BMSC‐Exos on OS, pyroptosis, and Foxo1 phosphorylation in DOX‐treated H9C2 cells.

Conclusions

BMSC‐Exos phosphorylated Foxo1 and inactivated Foxo1 transcription via the PI3K‐AKT pathway to diminish GSDMD expression, thus restraining DOX‐induced pyroptosis and OS of myocardial cells.

The Role of ncRNAs in Cardiac Infarction and Regeneration

Myocardial infarction is the most prevalent cardiovascular disease worldwide, and it is defined as cardiomyocyte cell death due to a lack of oxygen supply. Such a temporary absence of oxygen supply, or ischemia, leads to extensive cardiomyocyte cell death in the affected myocardium. Notably, reactive oxygen species are generated during the reperfusion process, driving a novel wave of cell death. Consequently, the inflammatory process starts, followed by fibrotic scar formation. Limiting inflammation and resolving the fibrotic scar are essential biological processes with respect to providing a favorable environment for cardiac regeneration that is only achieved in a limited number of species. Distinct inductive signals and transcriptional regulatory factors are key components that modulate cardiac injury and regeneration. Over the last decade, the impact of non-coding RNAs has begun to be addressed in many cellular and pathological processes including myocardial infarction and regeneration. Herein, we provide a state-of-the-art review of the current functional role of diverse non-coding RNAs, particularly microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), in different biological processes involved in cardiac injury as well as in distinct experimental models of cardiac regeneration.

Exosomes derived from hypoxia-preconditioned mesenchymal stem cells (hypoMSCs-Exo): advantages in disease treatment

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)-based therapy has been reported to be a potential approach to treat various diseases and the paracrine role might be the underlying mechanism. Exosomes were considered an important part of this paracrine role. It was reported that maintenance of MSCs in hypoxia conditions for a short time has shown to be beneficial for the therapeutic effect of MSCs and MSCs-derived exosomes. In this review, we summarized the recent developments on exosomes derived from hypoxia-preconditioned mesenchymal stem cells (hypoMSCs-Exo), including the characteristics of hypoMSCs-Exo in morphology and contents, diseases in which hypoMSCs-Exo showed more effective, and the cellular and molecular mechanisms that hypoMSCs-Exo showed more effective in disease treatment. Besides, we also discussed the limitations of current studies and the issues that needed to be improved in the application of hypoMSCs-Exo. This review aimed to promote a comprehensive and systematic understanding of this type of exosome with great therapeutic potential.

Exosomal HSP90 induced by remote ischemic preconditioning alleviates myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury by inhibiting complement activation and inflammation

BACKGROUND/AIMS

The activation of the complement system and subsequent inflammatory responses are important features of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Exosomes are nanoscale extracellular vesicles that play a significant role in remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) cardioprotection. The present study aimed to test whether RIPC-induced plasma exosomes (RIPC-Exo) exert protective effects on myocardial I/R injury by inhibiting complement activation and inflammation and whether exosomal heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) mediates these effects.

METHODS

Rat hearts underwent 30 min of coronary ligation followed by 2 h of reperfusion. Plasma exosomes were isolated from RIPC rats and injected into the infarcted myocardium immediately after ligation. Sixty rats were randomly divided into Sham, I/R, I/R + RIPC-Exo (50 µg/µl), and RIPC-Exo + GA (geldanamycin, 1 mg/kg, administration 30 min before ligation) groups. Cardiomyocyte apoptosis, the release of myocardial markers (LDH, cTnI and CK-MB), infarct size, the expression of HSP90, complement component (C)3, C5a, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and intercellular adhesion molecule -1 (ICAM-1) were assessed.

RESULTS

RIPC-Exo treatment significantly reduced I/R-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis, the release of myocardial markers (LDH, cTnI and CK-MB) and infarct size. These beneficial effects were accompanied by decreased C3 and C5a expression, decreased inflammatory factor levels (IL-1β, TNF-α, and ICAM-1), decreased JNK and Bax, and increased Bcl-2 expression. Meanwhile, the expression of HSP90 in the exosomes from rat plasma increased significantly after RIPC. However, treatment with HSP90 inhibitor GA significantly reversed the cardioprotection of RIPC-Exo, as well as activated complement component, JNK signalling and inflammation, indicating that HSP90 in exosomes isolated from the RIPC was important in mediating the cardioprotective effects during I/R.

CONCLUSION

Exosomal HSP90 induced by RIPC played a significant role in cardioprotection against I/R injury, and its function was in part linked to the inhibition of the complement system, JNK signalling and local and systemic inflammation, ultimately alleviating I/R-induced myocardial injury and apoptosis by the upregulation of Bcl-2 expression and the downregulation of proapoptotic Bax.

Extracellular Vesicles from NMN Preconditioned Mesenchymal Stem Cells Ameliorated Myocardial Infarction via miR-210-3p Promoted Angiogenesis

Mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (MSCs-EVs) possess cardioprotection in acute myocardial infarction. Nevertheless, the therapeutic intervention potential and the molecular mechanism of EVs from NMN (Nicotinamide mononucleotide) preconditioned hUCMSCs (N-EVs) in acute myocardial infarction remains unknown. In the present study, EVs from hUCMSCs (M-EVs) and N-EVs were identified by electron microscopy, immunoblotting and nanoparticle tracking analysis. Compared with M-EVs, N-EVs significantly increased the proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of HUVECs. Meanwhile, N-EVs markedly reduced apoptosis and cardiac fibrosis and promoted angiogenesis in the peri-infarct region in the MI rats. A high-throughput miRNA sequencing and qPCR methods analysis revealed that miR-210-3p was abundant in N-EVs and the expression of miR-210-3p was obviously upregulated in HUVECs after N-EVs treated. Overexpression of miR-210-3p in HUVECs significantly enhanced the tube formation, migration and proliferative capacities of HUVECs. However, downregulation of miR-210-3p in HUVECs markedly decreased the tube formation, migration and proliferative capacities of HUVECs. Furthermore, bioinformatics analysis and luciferase assays revealed that EphrinA3 (EFNA3) was a direct target of miR-210-3p. Knockdown of miR-210-3p in N-EVs significantly impaired its ability to protect the heart after myocardial infarction. Altogether, these results indicated that N-EVs promoted the infarct healing through improvement of angiogenesis by miR-210-3p via targeting the EFNA3. Created with Biorender.com.

The Roles of Bone Marrow-Derived Stem Cells in Coronary Collateral Growth Induced by Repetitive Ischemia

Many clinical trials have attempted to use stem cells to treat ischemic heart diseases (IHD), but the benefits have been modest. Though coronary collaterals can be a "natural bypass" for IHD patients, the regulation of coronary collateral growth (CCG) and the role of endogenous stem cells in CCG are not fully understood. In this study, we used a bone marrow transplantation scheme to study the role of bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) in a rat model of CCG. Transgenic GFP rats were used to trace BMSCs after transplantation; GFP bone marrow was harvested or sorted for bone marrow transplantation. After recovering from transplantation, the recipient rats underwent 10 days of repetitive ischemia (RI), with echocardiography before and after RI, to measure cardiac function and myocardial blood flow. At the end of RI, the rats were sacrificed for the collection of bone marrow for flow cytometry or heart tissue for imaging analysis. Our study shows that upon RI stimulation, BMSCs homed to the recipient rat hearts' collateral-dependent zone (CZ), proliferated, differentiated into endothelial cells, and engrafted in the vascular wall for collateral growth. These RI-induced collaterals improved coronary blood flow and cardiac function in the recipients' hearts during ischemia. Depletion of donor CD34+ BMSCs led to impaired CCG in the recipient rats, indicating that this cell population is essential to the process. Overall, these results show that BMSCs contribute to CCG and suggest that regulation of the function of BMSCs to promote CCG might be a potential therapeutic approach for IHD.

Hydrogen sulfide plays an important role by regulating endoplasmic reticulum stress in myocardial diseases

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an important organelle for protein translation, folding and translocation, as well as the post-translational modification and assembly of newly synthesized secreted proteins. When the excessive accumulation of misfolded and/or unfolded proteins exceeds the processing capacity of ER, ER stress is triggered. The integrated intracellular signal cascade, namely the unfolded protein response, is induced to avoid ER stress. ER stress is involved in many pathological and physiological processes including myocardial diseases. For a long time, hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) has been considered as a toxic gas with the smell of rotten eggs. However, more and more evidences indicate that H₂S is an important gas signal molecule after nitric oxide and carbon monoxide, and regulates a variety of physiological and pathological processes in mammals. In recent years, increasing studies have focused on the regulatory effects of H₂S on ER stress in myocardial diseases, however, the mechanism is not very clear. Therefore, this review focuses on the role of H₂S regulation of ER stress in myocardial diseases, and deeply analyzes the relevant mechanisms so as to lay the foundation for the future researches.

Bioengineering Extracellular Vesicles for the Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Despite recent advances in diagnosis and interventions, there is still a crucial need for new multifaceted therapeutics that can address the complicated pathophysiological mechanisms driving CVD. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanovesicles that are secreted by all types of cells to transport molecular cargo and regulate intracellular communication. EVs represent a growing field of nanotheranostics that can be leveraged as diagnostic biomarkers for the early detection of CVD and as targeted drug delivery vesicles to promote cardiovascular repair and recovery. Though a promising tool for CVD therapy, the clinical application of EVs is limited by the inherent challenges in EV isolation, standardization, and delivery. Hence, this review will present the therapeutic potential of EVs and introduce bioengineering strategies that augment their natural functions in CVD.

Recent advances of natural and bioengineered extracellular vesicles and their application in vascular regeneration

The progression of cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction leads to serious vascular injury, highlighting the urgent need for targeted regenerative therapy. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) composed of a lipid bilayer containing nuclear and cytosolic materials are relevant to the progression of cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, EVs can deliver bioactive cargo in pathological cardiovascular and regulate the biological function of recipient cells, such as inflammation, proliferation, angiogenesis and polarization. However, because the targeting and bioactivity of natural EVs are subject to several limitations, bioengineered EVs have achieved wide advancements in biomedicine. Bioengineered EVs involve three main ways to acquire including (i) modification of the EVs after isolation; (ii) modification of producer cells before EVs’ isolation; (iii) synthesize EVs using natural or modified cell membranes, and encapsulating drugs or bioactive molecules into EVs. In this review, we first summarize the cardiovascular injury-related disease and describe the role of different cells and EVs in vascular regeneration. We also discuss the application of bioengineered EVs from different producer cells to cardiovascular diseases. Finally, we summarize the surface modification on EVs which can specifically target abnormal cells in injured vascular.

Complexing the Oncolytic Adenoviruses Ad∆∆ and Ad-3∆-A20T with Cationic Nanoparticles Enhances Viral Infection and Spread in Prostate and Pancreatic Cancer Models

Oncolytic adenoviruses (OAd) can be employed to efficiently eliminate cancer cells through multiple mechanisms of action including cell lysis and immune activation. Our OAds, AdΔΔ and Ad-3∆-A20T, selectively infect, replicate in, and kill adenocarcinoma cells with the added benefit of re-sensitising drug-resistant cells in preclinical models. Further modifications are required to enable systemic delivery in patients due to the rapid hepatic elimination and neutralisation by blood factors and antibodies. Here, we show data that support the use of coating OAds with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as a possible new method of virus modification to help augment tumour uptake. The pre-incubation of cationic AuNPs with AdΔΔ, Ad-3∆-A20T and wild type adenovirus (Ad5wt) was performed prior to infection of prostate/pancreatic cancer cell lines (22Rv, PC3, Panc04.03, PT45) and a pancreatic stellate cell line (PS1). Levels of viral infection, replication and cell viability were quantified 24–72 h post-infection in the presence and absence of AuNPs. Viral spread was assessed in organotypic cultures. The presence of AuNPs significantly increased the uptake of Ad∆∆, Ad-3∆-A20T and Ad5wt in all the cell lines tested (ranging from 1.5-fold to 40-fold), compared to virus alone, with the greatest uptake observed in PS1, a usually adenovirus-resistant cell line. Pre-coating the AdΔΔ and Ad-3∆-A20T with AuNPs also increased viral replication, leading to enhanced cell killing, with maximal effect in the most virus-insensitive cells (from 1.4-fold to 5-fold). To conclude, the electrostatic association of virus with cationic agents provides a new avenue to increase the dose in tumour lesions and potentially protect the virus from detrimental blood factor binding. Such an approach warrants further investigation for clinical translation.

The Extracellular MicroRNAs on Inflammation: A Literature Review of Rodent Studies

Inflammation is an indispensable biological process stimulated by infection and injuries. Inflammatory mechanisms related to extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are small membrane structures carrying various molecules, were summarized in this review. Emerging evidence from animal studies has highlighted the role of EVs in modulating inflammatory responses, by transporting various molecules involved in host defense. In this review, we have discussed the role of EV miRNAs in inflammation. Rodent studies associated with extracellular miRNAs in inflammatory diseases, published from 2012 to 2022, were explored from PUBMED, EMBASE, and MEDLINE. A total of 95 studies were reviewed. In summary, EV-associated miRNAs play a key role in various diseases, including organ injury, immune dysfunction, neurological disease, metabolic syndrome, vesicular disease, arthritis, cancer, and other inflammatory diseases. Diverse EV-associated miRNAs regulate inflammasome activation and pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine levels by targeting genes.

Hypoxia Induced Changes of Exosome Cargo and Subsequent Biological Effects

Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles that are secreted by almost all types of cells and exist in almost all extracellular spaces. As an important mediator of intercellular communication, exosomes encapsulate the miRNA, lncRNA, cirRNA, mRNA, cytokine, enzyme, lipid, and other components from the cytoplasm into its closed single membrane structure and transfer them to recipient units in an autocrine, paracrine, or endocrine manner. Hypoxia is a state of low oxygen tension and is involved in many pathological processes. Hypoxia influences the size, quantity, and expression of exosome cargos. Exosomes derived from hypoxic tumor cells transfer genetics, proteins, and lipids to the recipient units to exert pleiotropic effects. Different donor cells produce different cargo contents, target different recipient units and lead to different biological effects. Hypoxic exosomes derived from tumor cells uptaken by normoxic tumor cells lead to promoted proliferation, migration, and invasion; uptaken by extracellular space or liver lead to promoted metastasis; uptaken by endothelial cells lead to promoted angiogenesis; uptaken by immune cells lead to promoted macrophage polarization and changed tumor immune microenvironment. In addition to various types of tumors, hypoxic exosomes also participate in the development of diseases in the cardiovascular system, neuron system, respiratory system, hematology system, endocrine system, urinary system, reproduction system, and skeletomuscular system. Understanding the special characteristics of hypoxic exosomes provide new insight into elaborating the pathogenesis of hypoxia related disease. This review summarizes hypoxia induced cargo changes and the biological effects of hypoxic exosomes in tumors and non-malignant diseases in different systems.