Immunomodulatory effects and clinical application of exosomes derived from mesenchymal stem cells

Abstract

Exosomes (Exos) are extracellular vesicles secreted by cells and serve as crucial mediators of intercellular communication. They play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis and progression of various diseases and offer promising avenues for therapeutic interventions. Exos derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have significant immunomodulatory properties. They effectively regulate immune responses by modulating both innate and adaptive immunity. These Exos can inhibit excessive inflammatory responses and promote tissue repair. Moreover, they participate in antigen presentation, which is essential for activating immune responses. The cargo of these Exos, including ligands, proteins, and microRNAs, can suppress T cell activity or enhance the population of immunosuppressive cells to dampen the immune response. By inhibiting lymphocyte proliferation, acting on macrophages, and increasing the population of regulatory T cells, these Exos contribute to maintaining immune and metabolic homeostasis. Furthermore, they can activate immune-related signaling pathways or serve as vehicles to deliver microRNAs and other bioactive substances to target tumor cells, which holds potential for immunotherapy applications. Given the immense therapeutic potential of MSC-derived Exos, this review comprehensively explores their mechanisms of immune regulation and therapeutic applications in areas such as infection control, tumor suppression, and autoimmune disease management. This article aims to provide valuable insights into the mechanisms behind the actions of MSC-derived Exos, offering theoretical references for their future clinical utilization as cell-free drug preparations.

Keywords: Mesenchymal stem cells; Exosomes; Immunomodulatory effects; Clinical application; Therapeutic potential

Core Tip: Exosomes (Exos) are extracellular vesicles secreted by cells, and they serve as crucial mediators of intercellular communication, playing a pivotal role in the pathogenesis, progression, and therapeutic interventions for various diseases. Given the immense therapeutic potential of Exos derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSC-Exos), this review article comprehensively explores mechanisms underlying their immune regulation as well as their therapeutic applications in infection control measures and tackling tumors or autoimmune diseases among others. This article aims to provide valuable insights into further investigations regarding the mechanism behind MSC-Exo actions while offering theoretical references for future clinical utilization of MSC-Exos as cell-free drug preparations.