Supervisors info:
Μαρία Ρουμπελάκη, Επίκουρος Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Μαρία Γαζούλη, Αναπληρώτρια Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Ευστάθιος Ευσταθόπουλος, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
Exosomes, a subtype of extracellular microvesicles with a diameter of 30–150 nm, are nanovesicles secreted by all types of cells, both eukaryotic and prokaryotic. For many years, scientists believed that exosomes were a disposal mechanism of the cell, however, over the last decades, exosomes received unprecedented scientific attention when it was discovered that they carry genetic material and they act as mediators of cellular communication. The exosomal cargo includes proteins, ribonucleic acids, such as mRNAs and microRNAs, and lipids. By transferring bioactive molecules, exosomes can modulate inflammation, immune response, tumor invasion and metastasis, tissue regeneration and several other biological processes. The research regarding their potential role in the diagnosis, progression and therapy of many diseases is growing exponentially over the last years. Exosomes secreted by stem cells hold great potential in the treatment of various diseases due to the unique properties that are derived from their parental cells. They provide new perspectives for the development of a cell-free therapeutic approach, which is an important pursue due to the reported side effects of stem cell-based therapy, such as immune rejection, mal-differentiation, tumor formation and lung entrapment. Stem cell-derived exosomes have the capacity to repair damaged tissues, promote angiogenesis, regulate immune responses and other physiological or pathological processes, and thus, they are ideal candidates for the treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune conditions. Inflammation is emerging as a major predisposal factor in the pathogenesis of a plethora of diseases. Hence, the therapeutic potential of stem cell-derived exosomes, as well as the mechanism underlying it, is being thoroughly investigated through in vitro and in vivo animal studies. Stem-cell derived exosomes exhibit promising results in the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, like inflammatory bowel disease and periodontitis, neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis, and various autoimmune diseases, such as arthritis and diabetes. This report describes the progress regarding the effects of stem cell-derived exosomes in the treatment of many inflammatory diseases and the mechanism behind their action.
