Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Previous studies have demonstrated that multi-potent mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC)-derived exosomes improve functional recovery after experimental traumatic brain injury (TBI). Our present research focuses on augmenting the beneficial effects of exosomes by transfecting them with microRNAs. METHODS: Adult male rats were injured with controlled cortical impact. Animals received a single intravenous injection of MiR-17-92 cluster-enriched exosomes (100 µg/rat) or control exosomes (100 µg/rat) or Vehicle (phosphate-buffered solution) one day after injury. A battery of neurological functional tests was performed after TBI. Spatial learning and memory were measured using the Morris water maze test. All animals were sacrificed five weeks after injury. Their brains were processed for histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis of cell loss, angiogenesis, neurogenesis, and neuroinflammation. RESULTS: Compared with control, both Exo-17-92 and Exo-empty treatments significantly improved sensorimotor and cognitive function, reduced neuroinflammation and hippocampal neuronal cell loss, and promoted angiogenesis and neurogenesis (p < 0.05). Moreover, Exo-17-92 treatment exhibited a significantly more robust effect in improving functional recovery and in reducing cell loss, and enhancing angiogenesis and neurogenesis compared to Exo-empty treatment (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Exosomes enriched with miR-17-92 cluster have a significantly better effect on improving functional recovery after TBI compared with Exo-empty treatment, likely by enhancing endogenous angiogenesis and neurogenesis. Engineering specific miRNA in exosomes may provide a novel therapeutic strategy for the management of TBI.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.