Exosome: Advanced Development and a Novel Therapeutic Strategy for Osteoarthritis and Cartilage Injury

Abstract

Exosomes have gained increasing attention as they participate in cell cross-talk in pathological environments and are functional paracrine factors of therapeutic stem cells. Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common age-related degenerative joint disease, leading to a debilitating lifestyle for sufferers. However, currently no drugs on the market promote cartilage repair, and the patients usually have to undergo arthroplasty in the late stage of OA. Although significant progress has been made in the development of stem cells for the treatment of OA and cartilage injury, problems like immune rejection remain. Recently, increasing evidence has demonstrated that exosomes from the joint microenvironment play important and complicated roles in the progression of OA. Moreover, exosomes have also shown enormous therapeutic value on OA/cartilage injury. Here, we first critically examine the relationship between exosomes and the pathology of OA. Then, we will cover the current status of exosome as a delivery vehicle for OA/cartilage injury therapy, especially the relevant mechanisms. Next, the recent progress of tissue engineering with exosomes, especially for OA/cartilage injury, will also be discussed. Finally, the future directions of exosome-based OA/cartilage injury therapy will be outlined.