Advances in Management of Spinal Cord Injury Using Stem Cell-derived Extracellular Vesicles: A Review Study.

Area of Science:

• Regenerative Medicine
• Neuroscience
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes severe motor and sensory deficits, with limited effective treatments.
• Current therapeutic strategies for SCI are insufficient, necessitating novel approaches.
• Tissue engineering and stem cell therapy are emerging as potential treatments for SCI.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the latest advancements in using stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles for SCI treatment.
• To summarize the efficacy of mesenchymal stem cells-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs) in experimental SCI models.
• To discuss the potential of MSC-EVs, alone or combined with scaffolds, for SCI regeneration.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted in major scientific databases (Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, PubMed).
• Data on the use of stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles for SCI improvement were collected and analyzed.
• The review focuses on studies investigating MSC-EVs, including exosomes, for SCI treatment.

Main Results:

• Mesenchymal stem cells-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs), including exosomes, demonstrated nerve regeneration capabilities in SCI.
• The combination of MSC-EVs with biocompatible scaffolds showed enhanced therapeutic effects in SCI models.
• Collagen-based scaffolds were particularly effective when loaded with MSC-EVs for SCI treatment.

Conclusions:

• Mesenchymal stem cells-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs) represent a promising therapeutic strategy for SCI.
• MSC-EVs, either alone or incorporated into scaffolds, can promote nerve regeneration and improve outcomes in SCI.
• Further research into MSC-EVs and scaffold combinations could lead to effective clinical treatments for SCI.