Inhalable stem cell-derived artificial nanovesicles for targeted siRNA delivery to effectively alleviate asthma...

Asthma, one of the most prevalent chronic inflammatory diseases, remains challenging to manage effectively. Current therapies commonly alleviate symptoms through broad immunosuppression and bronchodilation but fail to target disease-specific molecular pathways. Genetic intervention using small interfering RNA (siRNA) has emerged as a promising strategy for asthma therapy. However, its success is largely hindered by the lack of an efficient delivery approach targeting airway epithelial cells (AECs). Here, we developed a novel inhalable siRNA delivery system based on artificially prepared nanovesicles through designed extrusion processes of mesenchymal stem cells. To enable an effective inhalation delivery of siRNA via nanovesicles, various parameters, including extrusion cycles, membrane pore sizes, and centrifugal forces were examined through orthogonal testing. Results revealed that the artificially prepared nanovesicles demonstrated remarkable capability to deliver thymic stromal lymphopoietin-targeted siRNA into AECs and substantially suppressed the inflammatory pathways and goblet cell hyperplasia, and eventually achieved a significant inhibition of asthma symptoms in ovalbumin-induced asthma models. Thus, the present study provides a novel nebulized nanovesicle-based carrier for effective delivery of siRNA through local inhalation, offering a promising therapeutic delivery platform for asthma and potentially other respiratory diseases.