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Cai H, Pang Y, Ren Z, Fu X, Jia L. Delivering synaptic protein mRNAs via extracellular vesicles ameliorates cognitive impairment in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. BMC Med 2024; 22:138. [PMID: 38528511 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-024-03359-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Synaptic dysfunction with reduced synaptic protein levels is a core feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Synaptic proteins play a central role in memory processing, learning, and AD pathogenesis. Evidence suggests that synaptic proteins in plasma neuronal-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) are reduced in patients with AD. However, it remains unclear whether levels of synaptic proteins in EVs are associated with hippocampal atrophy of AD and whether upregulating the expression of these synaptic proteins has a beneficial effect on AD. METHODS In this study, we included 57 patients with AD and 56 healthy controls. We evaluated their brain atrophy through magnetic resonance imaging using the medial temporal lobe atrophy score. We measured the levels of four synaptic proteins, including synaptosome-associated protein 25 (SNAP25), growth-associated protein 43 (GAP43), neurogranin, and synaptotagmin 1 in both plasma neuronal-derived EVs and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). We further examined the association of synaptic protein levels with brain atrophy. We also evaluated the levels of these synaptic proteins in the brains of 5×FAD mice. Then, we loaded rabies virus glycoprotein-engineered EVs with messenger RNAs (mRNAs) encoding GAP43 and SNAP25 and administered these EVs to 5×FAD mice. After treatment, synaptic proteins, dendritic density, and cognitive function were evaluated. RESULTS The results showed that GAP43, SNAP25, neurogranin, and synaptotagmin 1 were decreased in neuronal-derived EVs but increased in CSF in patients with AD, and the changes corresponded to the severity of brain atrophy. GAP43 and SNAP25 were decreased in the brains of 5×FAD mice. The engineered EVs efficiently and stably delivered these synaptic proteins to the brain, where synaptic protein levels were markedly upregulated. Upregulation of synaptic protein expression could ameliorate cognitive impairment in AD by promoting dendritic density. This marks the first successful delivery of synaptic protein mRNAs via EVs in AD mice, yielding remarkable therapeutic effects. CONCLUSIONS Synaptic proteins are closely related to AD processes. Delivery of synaptic protein mRNAs via EVs stands as a promising effective precision treatment strategy for AD, which significantly advances the current understanding of therapeutic approaches for the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huimin Cai
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders and Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, 45 Changchun St., Beijing, 100053, China
- Center of Alzheimer's Disease, Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yana Pang
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders and Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, 45 Changchun St., Beijing, 100053, China
- Center of Alzheimer's Disease, Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Ziye Ren
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders and Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, 45 Changchun St., Beijing, 100053, China
- Center of Alzheimer's Disease, Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaofeng Fu
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders and Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, 45 Changchun St., Beijing, 100053, China
- Center of Alzheimer's Disease, Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Longfei Jia
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders and Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, 45 Changchun St., Beijing, 100053, China.
- Center of Alzheimer's Disease, Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
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Kumar MA, Baba SK, Sadida HQ, Marzooqi SA, Jerobin J, Altemani FH, Algehainy N, Alanazi MA, Abou-Samra AB, Kumar R, Al-Shabeeb Akil AS, Macha MA, Mir R, Bhat AA. Extracellular vesicles as tools and targets in therapy for diseases. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:27. [PMID: 38311623 PMCID: PMC10838959 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01735-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nano-sized, membranous structures secreted into the extracellular space. They exhibit diverse sizes, contents, and surface markers and are ubiquitously released from cells under normal and pathological conditions. Human serum is a rich source of these EVs, though their isolation from serum proteins and non-EV lipid particles poses challenges. These vesicles transport various cellular components such as proteins, mRNAs, miRNAs, DNA, and lipids across distances, influencing numerous physiological and pathological events, including those within the tumor microenvironment (TME). Their pivotal roles in cellular communication make EVs promising candidates for therapeutic agents, drug delivery systems, and disease biomarkers. Especially in cancer diagnostics, EV detection can pave the way for early identification and offers potential as diagnostic biomarkers. Moreover, various EV subtypes are emerging as targeted drug delivery tools, highlighting their potential clinical significance. The need for non-invasive biomarkers to monitor biological processes for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes remains unfulfilled. Tapping into the unique composition of EVs could unlock advanced diagnostic and therapeutic avenues in the future. In this review, we discuss in detail the roles of EVs across various conditions, including cancers (encompassing head and neck, lung, gastric, breast, and hepatocellular carcinoma), neurodegenerative disorders, diabetes, viral infections, autoimmune and renal diseases, emphasizing the potential advancements in molecular diagnostics and drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mudasir A Kumar
- Watson-Crick Centre for Molecular Medicine, Islamic University of Science and Technology, Awantipora, Kashmir, 192122, India
| | - Sadaf K Baba
- Watson-Crick Centre for Molecular Medicine, Islamic University of Science and Technology, Awantipora, Kashmir, 192122, India
| | - Hana Q Sadida
- Department of Human Genetics-Precision Medicine in Diabetes, Obesity and Cancer Program, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Sara Al Marzooqi
- Department of Human Genetics-Precision Medicine in Diabetes, Obesity and Cancer Program, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Jayakumar Jerobin
- Qatar Metabolic Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Faisal H Altemani
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Prince Fahad Bin Sultan Chair for Biomedical Research, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
| | - Naseh Algehainy
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Prince Fahad Bin Sultan Chair for Biomedical Research, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad A Alanazi
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Prince Fahad Bin Sultan Chair for Biomedical Research, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdul-Badi Abou-Samra
- Qatar Metabolic Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Rakesh Kumar
- School of Biotechnology, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra, India
| | - Ammira S Al-Shabeeb Akil
- Department of Human Genetics-Precision Medicine in Diabetes, Obesity and Cancer Program, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Muzafar A Macha
- Watson-Crick Centre for Molecular Medicine, Islamic University of Science and Technology, Awantipora, Kashmir, 192122, India
| | - Rashid Mir
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Prince Fahad Bin Sultan Chair for Biomedical Research, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Ajaz A Bhat
- Department of Human Genetics-Precision Medicine in Diabetes, Obesity and Cancer Program, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar.
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Tan F, Li X, Wang Z, Li J, Shahzad K, Zheng J. Clinical applications of stem cell-derived exosomes. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:17. [PMID: 38212307 PMCID: PMC10784577 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01704-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Although stem cell-based therapy has demonstrated considerable potential to manage certain diseases more successfully than conventional surgery, it nevertheless comes with inescapable drawbacks that might limit its clinical translation. Compared to stem cells, stem cell-derived exosomes possess numerous advantages, such as non-immunogenicity, non-infusion toxicity, easy access, effortless preservation, and freedom from tumorigenic potential and ethical issues. Exosomes can inherit similar therapeutic effects from their parental cells such as embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells through vertical delivery of their pluripotency or multipotency. After a thorough search and meticulous dissection of relevant literature from the last five years, we present this comprehensive, up-to-date, specialty-specific and disease-oriented review to highlight the surgical application and potential of stem cell-derived exosomes. Exosomes derived from stem cells (e.g., embryonic, induced pluripotent, hematopoietic, mesenchymal, neural, and endothelial stem cells) are capable of treating numerous diseases encountered in orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, plastic surgery, general surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, urology, head and neck surgery, ophthalmology, and obstetrics and gynecology. The diverse therapeutic effects of stem cells-derived exosomes are a hierarchical translation through tissue-specific responses, and cell-specific molecular signaling pathways. In this review, we highlight stem cell-derived exosomes as a viable and potent alternative to stem cell-based therapy in managing various surgical conditions. We recommend that future research combines wisdoms from surgeons, nanomedicine practitioners, and stem cell researchers in this relevant and intriguing research area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Tan
- Department of ORL-HNS, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, and School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
- Plasma Medicine and Surgical Implants Center, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
- The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.
- The Royal College of Surgeons of England, London, UK.
| | - Xuran Li
- Department of ORL-HNS, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, and School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
- Plasma Medicine and Surgical Implants Center, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhao Wang
- Department of ORL-HNS, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, and School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiaojiao Li
- Department of ORL-HNS, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, and School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
- Plasma Medicine and Surgical Implants Center, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Khawar Shahzad
- Department of ORL-HNS, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, and School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
- Plasma Medicine and Surgical Implants Center, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jialin Zheng
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Tongji Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Nanocatalytic Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
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Han W, Zhang H, Feng L, Dang R, Wang J, Cui C, Jiang P. The emerging role of exosomes in communication between the periphery and the central nervous system. MedComm (Beijing) 2023; 4:e410. [PMID: 37916034 PMCID: PMC10616655 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Exosomes, membrane-enclosed vesicles, are secreted by all types of cells. Exosomes can transport various molecules, including proteins, lipids, functional mRNAs, and microRNAs, and can be circulated to various recipient cells, leading to the production of local paracrine or distal systemic effects. Numerous studies have proved that exosomes can pass through the blood-brain barrier, thus, enabling the transfer of peripheral substances into the central nervous system (CNS). Consequently, exosomes may be a vital factor in the exchange of information between the periphery and CNS. This review will discuss the structure, biogenesis, and functional characterization of exosomes and summarize the role of peripheral exosomes deriving from tissues like the lung, gut, skeletal muscle, and various stem cell types in communicating with the CNS and influencing the brain's function. Then, we further discuss the potential therapeutic effects of exosomes in brain diseases and the clinical opportunities and challenges. Gaining a clearer insight into the communication between the CNS and the external areas of the body will help us to ascertain the role of the peripheral elements in the maintenance of brain health and illness and will facilitate the design of minimally invasive techniques for diagnosing and treating brain diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxiu Han
- Translational Pharmaceutical LaboratoryJining First People's HospitalShandong First Medical UniversityJiningP. R. China
- Institute of Translational PharmacyJining Medical Research AcademyJiningP. R. China
| | - Hailiang Zhang
- Translational Pharmaceutical LaboratoryJining First People's HospitalShandong First Medical UniversityJiningP. R. China
- Institute of Translational PharmacyJining Medical Research AcademyJiningP. R. China
| | - Lei Feng
- Department of NeurosurgeryJining First People's HospitalShandong First Medical UniversityJiningP. R. China
| | - Ruili Dang
- Translational Pharmaceutical LaboratoryJining First People's HospitalShandong First Medical UniversityJiningP. R. China
- Institute of Translational PharmacyJining Medical Research AcademyJiningP. R. China
| | - Jing Wang
- Translational Pharmaceutical LaboratoryJining First People's HospitalShandong First Medical UniversityJiningP. R. China
- Institute of Translational PharmacyJining Medical Research AcademyJiningP. R. China
| | - Changmeng Cui
- Department of NeurosurgeryAffiliated Hospital of Jining Medical UniversityJiningP. R. China
| | - Pei Jiang
- Translational Pharmaceutical LaboratoryJining First People's HospitalShandong First Medical UniversityJiningP. R. China
- Institute of Translational PharmacyJining Medical Research AcademyJiningP. R. China
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Deng S, Cao H, Cui X, Fan Y, Wang Q, Zhang X. Optimization of exosome-based cell-free strategies to enhance endogenous cell functions in tissue regeneration. Acta Biomater 2023; 171:68-84. [PMID: 37730080 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.09.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Exosomes, nanoscale extracellular vesicles, play a crucial role in intercellular communication, owing to their biologically active cargoes such as RNAs and proteins. In recent years, they have emerged as a promising tool in the field of tissue regeneration, with the potential to initiate a new trend in cell-free therapy. However, it's worth noting that not all types of exosomes derived from cells are appropriate for tissue repair. Thus, selecting suitable cell sources is critical to ensure their efficacy in specific tissue regeneration processes. Current therapeutic applications of exosomes also encounter several limitations, including low-specific content for targeted diseases, non-tissue-specific targeting, and short retention time due to rapid clearance in vivo. Consequently, this review paper focuses on exosomes from diverse cell sources with functions specific to tissue regeneration. It also highlights the latest engineering strategies developed to overcome the functional limitations of natural exosomes. These strategies encompass the loading of specific therapeutic contents into exosomes, the endowment of tissue-specific targeting capability on the exosome surface, and the incorporation of biomaterials to extend the in vivo retention time of exosomes in a controlled-release manner. Collectively, these innovative approaches aim to synergistically enhance the therapeutic effects of natural exosomes, optimizing exosome-based cell-free strategies to boost endogenous cell functions in tissue regeneration. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Exosome-based cell-free therapy has recently emerged as a promising tool for tissue regeneration. This review highlights the characteristics and functions of exosomes from different sources that can facilitate tissue repair and their contributions to the regeneration process. To address the functional limitations of natural exosomes in therapeutic applications, this review provides an in-depth understanding of the latest engineering strategies. These strategies include optimizing exosomal contents, endowing tissue-specific targeting capability on the exosome surface, and incorporating biomaterials to extend the in vivo retention time of exosomes in a controlled-release manner. This review aims to explore and discuss innovative approaches that can synergistically improve endogenous cell functions in advanced exosome-based cell-free therapies for a broad range of tissue regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyan Deng
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China; College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China
| | - Hongfu Cao
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China; College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China
| | - Xiaolin Cui
- School of medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China; Christchurch Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering (CReaTE) Group, Department of Orthopedic Surgery & Musculoskeletal Medicine, Centre for Bioengineering & Nanomedicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Yujiang Fan
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China; College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China.
| | - Qiguang Wang
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China; College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China.
| | - Xingdong Zhang
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China; College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China
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