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Cardiac Exosomes in Ischemic Heart Disease- A Narrative Review
Øystein Røsand1, Morten Andre Høydal1
1Group of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Norwegian University of Technology and Science (NTNU), 7030 Trondheim, Norway.
Insights
Exosomes, tiny cell-secreted vesicles, are crucial in heart disease progression and hold potential for cardioprotective therapies and cardiovascular disease biomarkers.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Biology
- Cellular and Molecular Medicine
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is a leading global cause of mortality, often leading to myocardial infarction and heart failure.
- Exosomes, secreted by cardiac and other cells, mediate intercellular communication via transported biomolecules.
- Exosomes are implicated in IHD progression, affecting endothelial function, atherosclerosis, and heart failure development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of exosomes in the pathophysiology of IHD.
- To highlight the cardioprotective potential of native and engineered exosomes in IHD.
- To explore exosomes as biomarkers for cardiovascular diseases and discuss clinical translation challenges.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on exosome function in IHD.
- Analysis of research on exosome-mediated cardioprotection.
- Evaluation of exosome-based diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for IHD.
Main Results:
- Exosomes contribute to IHD progression through various mechanisms.
- Native and bioengineered exosomes demonstrate cardioprotective effects by enhancing cell survival during ischemia.
- Exosomes show promise as biomarkers for cardiovascular diseases.
Conclusions:
- Exosomes play a dual role in IHD, contributing to disease progression and offering therapeutic potential.
- Further research and clinical validation are necessary to harness exosomes for IHD treatment and diagnosis.
- Exosome engineering presents opportunities for targeted cardioprotective delivery and improved cardiovascular disease management.
Abstract:
Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is the primary cause of death globally. IHD is associated with the disruption of blood supply to the heart muscles, which often results in myocardial infarction (MI) that further may progress to heart failure (HF). Exosomes are a subgroup of extracellular vesicles that can be secreted by virtually all types of cells, including cardiomyocytes, cardiac fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and stem and progenitor cells. Exosomes represent an important means of cell-cell communication through the transport of proteins, coding and non-coding RNA, and other bioactive molecules. Several studies show that exosomes play an important role in the progression of IHD, including endothelial dysfunction, the development of arterial atherosclerosis, ischemic reperfusion injury, and HF development. Recently, promising data have been shown that designates exosomes as carriers of cardioprotective molecules that enhance the survival of recipient cells undergoing ischemia. In this review, we summarize the functional involvement of exosomes regarding IHD. We also highlight the cardioprotective effects of native and bioengineered exosomes to IHD, as well as the possibility of using exosomes as natural biomarkers of cardiovascular diseases. Lastly, we discuss the opportunities and challenges that need to be addressed before exosomes can be used in clinical applications.
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