Exosomes and Nanoengineering: A Match Made for Precision Therapeutics.

Phuong H L Tran,Thao T D Tran,Wang Yin,Yingchun Hou,Yumei Zhang,Miaomiao Sun,Dongxi Xiang,Kuisheng Chen,Yimin Zhu,Lingxue Kong,Wei Duan,Yong Li

doi:10.1002/adma.201904040

Abstract

Targeted exosomal delivery systems for precision nanomedicine attract wide interest across areas of molecular cell biology, pharmaceutical sciences, and nanoengineering. Exosomes are naturally derived 50-150 nm nanovesicles that play important roles in cell-to-cell and/or cell-to-tissue communications and cross-species communication. Exosomes are also a promising class of novel drug delivery vehicles owing to their ability to shield their payload from chemical and enzymatic degradations as well as to evade recognition by and subsequent removal by the immune system. Combined with a new class of affinity ligands known as aptamers or chemical antibodies, molecularly targeted exosomes are poised to become the next generation of smartly engineered nanovesicles for precision medicine. Here, recent advances in targeted exosomal delivery systems engineered by aptamer for future strategies to promote human health using this class of human-derived nanovesicles are summarized.

Highlights

As the number of new cases of cancer diagnosed in Australia is estimated to be increased from 145,000 in 2019 to 150,000 by 2020, cancer has become a leading cause of death in Australia.[1]
They can carry therapeutics and molecular imaging agents to function in the precision therapeutics and/or diagnostics
Despite currently promising studies about exosomes, several major challenges remain, including lack of characterization of exosomes derived from different sources, low exosomal yield and encapsulation efficiency and lack of advanced purification techniques with high efficiency

Summary

Introduction

As the number of new cases of cancer diagnosed in Australia is estimated to be increased from 145,000 in 2019 to 150,000 by 2020, cancer has become a leading cause of death in Australia.[1]. Exosomes and microvesicles, the nomenclature of EVs includes microparticles, ectosomes, oncosomes, and apoptotic bodies.[5] Of note, the identification of EVs should meet the minimal requirements of guideline of Minimal Information for Studies of Extracellular Vesicles 2018, which was proposed by the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles.[5] exosomes, the small EVs, are the subject covered in this Research News Due to their prominent stability, long circulating half-life and favorable safety profile, exosomes emerge as promising drug delivery vehicles that are able to deliver cargoes into the cytoplasm with minimal toxicity.[6] exosomes possess a unique “homing” effect, i.e. the ability to target the cell type from which exosomes are produced.[7] exosomes are poised to become a rising star as effective drug delivery vehicles. The present Research News will highlight recent advances in targeted delivery of therapeutic agents to disease sites in vivo using aptamers and exosomes at the nanostructure level, with perspectives on key challenges and opportunities in the field

Aptamer emerges as a prominent targeting ligand for nanodelivery

Nanoengineering of aptamer-targeted exosomal delivery

Summary and outlook