Potential of Exosomes as Cell-Free Therapy in Articular Cartilage Regeneration: A Review

Ng, Chiew Yong; Chai, Jia Ying; Foo, Jhi Biau; Mohamad Yahaya, Nor Hamdan; Yang, Ying; Ng, Min Hwei; Law, Jia Xian

Abstract

Treatment of cartilage defects such as osteoarthritis (OA) and osteochondral defect (OCD) remains a huge clinical challenge in orthopedics. OA is one of the most common chronic health conditions and is mainly characterized by the degeneration of articular cartilage, shown in the limited capacity for intrinsic repair. OCD refers to the focal defects affecting cartilage and the underlying bone. The current OA and OCD management modalities focus on symptom control and on improving joint functionality and the patient’s quality of life. Cell-based therapy has been evaluated for managing OA and OCD, and its chondroprotective efficacy is recognized mainly through paracrine action. Hence, there is growing interest in exploiting extracellular vesicles to induce cartilage regeneration. In this review, we explore the in vivo evidence of exosomes on cartilage regeneration. A total of 29 in vivo studies from the PubMed and Scopus databases were identified and analyzed. The studies reported promising results in terms of in vivo exosome delivery and uptake; improved cartilage morphological, histological, and biochemical outcomes; enhanced subchondral bone regeneration; and improved pain behavior following exosome treatment. In addition, exosome therapy is safe, as the included studies documented no significant complications. Modifying exosomal cargos further increased the cartilage and subchondral bone regeneration capacity of exosomes. We conclude that exosome administration is a potent cell-free therapy for alleviating OA and OCD. However, additional studies are needed to confirm the therapeutic potential of exosomes and to identify the standard protocol for exosome-based therapy in OA and OCD management.

Citation

Ng, C. Y., Chai, J. Y., Foo, J. B., Mohamad Yahaya, N. H., Yang, Y., Ng, M. H., & Law, J. X. (in press). Potential of Exosomes as Cell-Free Therapy in Articular Cartilage Regeneration: A Review. International Journal of Nanomedicine, Volume 16, 6749-6781. https://doi.org/10.2147/ijn.s327059

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 22, 2021
• Deposit Date: Jun 2, 2023
• Journal: International Journal of Nanomedicine
• Print ISSN: 1176-9114
• Publisher: Dove Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: Volume 16
• Pages: 6749-6781
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.2147/ijn.s327059
• Keywords: Organic Chemistry; Drug Discovery; General Medicine; Biomaterials; Bioengineering; Biophysics; Pharmaceutical Science