Mesenchymal Stem Cells-Derived Extracellular Vesicles as Nanotherapeutics: An Application for Skin Wound Healing

Abstract

The skin covers the entire outer part of the body as the largest organ. Because this organ is directly exposed to microbial, thermal, mechanical, and chemical damage, several factors may injure it, including acute trauma, chronic wounds, or even surgical procedures. Mesenchymal stem cells- (MSCs-) derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) can inhibit the inflammatory response in the early stage of skin wound healing, promote angiogenesis and the proliferation and migration of epithelial cells, and regulate collagen synthesis and inhibit scar proliferation in the later stage. While MSCs-EVs have broad prospects for clinical applications, it will still be a long way to seamless healing. In this brief review, we focus on the role of MSCs-EV in skin wound repair, therapeutic effects, and potential mechanisms of MSCs-EV in reducing scar formation. It is concluded that MSCs-EV can reduce scar formation in skin wound repair by interfering with multiple inflammatory factors, regulating fibroblast proliferation, and expressing type I and type III collagens at different phases.