Therapeutic Potential of Nucleic Acids when Combined with Extracellular Vesicles

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), endogenous nanocarriers of proteins, lipids, and genetic material, have been harnessed as intrinsic delivery vectors for nucleic acid therapies. EVs are nanosized lipid bilayer bound vesicles released from most cell types responsible for delivery of functional biologic material to mediate intercellular communication and to modulate recipient cell phenotypes. Due to their innate biological role and composition, EVs possess several advantages as delivery vectors for nucleic acid based therapies including low immunogenicity and toxicity, high bioavailability, and ability to be engineered to enhance targeting to specific recipient cells in vivo. In this review, the current understanding of the biological role of EVs as well as the advancements in loading EVs to deliver nucleic acid therapies are summarized. We discuss the current methods and associated challenges in loading EVs and the prospects of utilizing the inherent characteristics of EVs as a delivery vector of nucleic acid therapies for genetic disorders.