Stem cell therapy has been shown to be safe and effective in the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA). Osteoarthritis is characterized by chronic inflammation, destruction of cartilage and loss of extracellular matrix. Evidence from numerous clinical studies demonstrates that stem cells reduce inflammation which is a major contributor of cartilage degeneration during the progression of OA.
With the advancement of stem cell research, extracellular vesicles derived from stem cells have been discovered as a promising therapy for the treatment of OA due to their similar therapeutic function of stem cells.
EVs are a group of vesicles used by stem cells for cell-to-cell communication and are considered to be responsible for the therapeutic effects of stem cells. EVs are composed of primarily two subtypes of vesicles; exosomes and microvesicles.
Since EVs reflect the therapeutic actions of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) but without the potential safety concerns related to MSC therapy such as tumor formation, immune system reaction, and embolism, EVs are a promising alternative treatment to stem cell based therapies. Furthermore, unlike gene therapy and stem cell therapy, EVs are not considered to be advanced therapy medicinal products by the FDA and are not considered high risk biological drugs.
This review article entitled “Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes: a new therapeutic approach to osteoarthritis?” which highlights the mechanisms of actions of exosomes in OA and summarizes recent data on their effectiveness in the treatment of OA.
This review article entitled “Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes: a new therapeutic approach to osteoarthritis?” highlights the mechanisms of actions of exosomes in OA and summarizes recent data on their effectiveness in the treatment of OA.
