Promising Opportunities for Treating Neurological Diseases with Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived extracellular vesicles

One of the promising options for promoting brain recovery and regeneration is mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation. The therapeutic effect of MSCs is thought to be mediated by their secretome, and specifically, by their extracellular vesicles, or exosomes. Research shows that MSC-derived exosomes retain some of the characteristics of their parent MSCs, such as immune system modulation, regulation of neurite outgrowth, promotion of angiogenesis, and the ability to repair damaged tissue. Recent studies demonstrated functional outcomes observed in various animal models of neurological diseases following MSC-derived exosome treatment. The proposed mechanisms of action through which MSC-derived exosomes mediate their migration and therapeutic effects will be discussed. We will describe the advanced studies that attempt to enhance the improvement achieved using MSC-derived exosome treatment, with a view towards future clinical use.