Advancing Osteoarthritis Treatment: The Therapeutic Potential of Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes and Biomaterial Integration

Background/Objectives: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent and debilitating joint disorder characterized by progressive cartilage degradation and inflammation, for which traditional treatments offer only symptomatic relief without halting disease progression. Exosomes, cell-free vesicles derived from...

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Main Authors: Chung-Hua Chu, Ru-Ping Lee, Wen-Tien Wu, Ing-Ho Chen, Kuang-Ting Yeh, Chen-Chie Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-10-01
Series:Biomedicines
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/12/11/2478
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author Chung-Hua Chu
Ru-Ping Lee
Wen-Tien Wu
Ing-Ho Chen
Kuang-Ting Yeh
Chen-Chie Wang
author_facet Chung-Hua Chu
Ru-Ping Lee
Wen-Tien Wu
Ing-Ho Chen
Kuang-Ting Yeh
Chen-Chie Wang
author_sort Chung-Hua Chu
collection DOAJ
description Background/Objectives: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent and debilitating joint disorder characterized by progressive cartilage degradation and inflammation, for which traditional treatments offer only symptomatic relief without halting disease progression. Exosomes, cell-free vesicles derived from mesenchymal stem cells, have emerged as a promising alternative therapy owing to their regenerative and anti-inflammatory properties. Methods: This review synthesizes findings from recent studies (2017–2023) on the therapeutic potential of exosomes in OA treatment, highlighting their ability to modulate the joint microenvironment, reduce inflammation, and promote cartilage repair by delivering bioactive molecules such as cytokines, growth factors, and regulatory ribonucleic acids. Results: We explore the integration of exosomes with biomaterials, such as hydrogels and scaffolds, to enhance their delivery and therapeutic efficacy, and we address the critical challenges associated with their clinical application, including standardization of isolation and characterization methods, scalability of production, mechanistic understanding, and long-term safety. Despite these challenges, exosome-based therapies offer several advantages over traditional and cell-based treatments, including lower immunogenicity, ease of handling, and targeted delivery of therapeutic agents to damaged tissues. Conclusions: We provide an analytical perspective on the current state of exosome research in OA, emphasizing the need for standardized production methods, deeper mechanistic insights, and rigorous long-term safety assessments. Future directions should focus on optimizing delivery systems, exploring personalized medicine approaches, and conducting comparative effectiveness studies to fully realize the potential of exosome therapies for OA treatment. Addressing these gaps will be crucial for translating exosome therapies from bench to bedside and achieving a transformative impact on OA management.
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spelling doaj-art-d959f6d34b4740af95950b04697ca5ba2025-08-20T02:28:07ZengMDPI AGBiomedicines2227-90592024-10-011211247810.3390/biomedicines12112478Advancing Osteoarthritis Treatment: The Therapeutic Potential of Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes and Biomaterial IntegrationChung-Hua Chu0Ru-Ping Lee1Wen-Tien Wu2Ing-Ho Chen3Kuang-Ting Yeh4Chen-Chie Wang5Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, New Taipei City 231016, TaiwanInstitute of Medical Sciences, Tzu Chi University, Hualien 970374, TaiwanInstitute of Medical Sciences, Tzu Chi University, Hualien 970374, TaiwanDepartment of Orthopedics, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien 970473, TaiwanInstitute of Medical Sciences, Tzu Chi University, Hualien 970374, TaiwanDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, New Taipei City 231016, TaiwanBackground/Objectives: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent and debilitating joint disorder characterized by progressive cartilage degradation and inflammation, for which traditional treatments offer only symptomatic relief without halting disease progression. Exosomes, cell-free vesicles derived from mesenchymal stem cells, have emerged as a promising alternative therapy owing to their regenerative and anti-inflammatory properties. Methods: This review synthesizes findings from recent studies (2017–2023) on the therapeutic potential of exosomes in OA treatment, highlighting their ability to modulate the joint microenvironment, reduce inflammation, and promote cartilage repair by delivering bioactive molecules such as cytokines, growth factors, and regulatory ribonucleic acids. Results: We explore the integration of exosomes with biomaterials, such as hydrogels and scaffolds, to enhance their delivery and therapeutic efficacy, and we address the critical challenges associated with their clinical application, including standardization of isolation and characterization methods, scalability of production, mechanistic understanding, and long-term safety. Despite these challenges, exosome-based therapies offer several advantages over traditional and cell-based treatments, including lower immunogenicity, ease of handling, and targeted delivery of therapeutic agents to damaged tissues. Conclusions: We provide an analytical perspective on the current state of exosome research in OA, emphasizing the need for standardized production methods, deeper mechanistic insights, and rigorous long-term safety assessments. Future directions should focus on optimizing delivery systems, exploring personalized medicine approaches, and conducting comparative effectiveness studies to fully realize the potential of exosome therapies for OA treatment. Addressing these gaps will be crucial for translating exosome therapies from bench to bedside and achieving a transformative impact on OA management.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/12/11/2478exosomesosteoarthritismesenchymal stem cellsbiomaterialscartilage regeneration
spellingShingle Chung-Hua Chu
Ru-Ping Lee
Wen-Tien Wu
Ing-Ho Chen
Kuang-Ting Yeh
Chen-Chie Wang
Advancing Osteoarthritis Treatment: The Therapeutic Potential of Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes and Biomaterial Integration
Biomedicines
exosomes
osteoarthritis
mesenchymal stem cells
biomaterials
cartilage regeneration
title Advancing Osteoarthritis Treatment: The Therapeutic Potential of Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes and Biomaterial Integration
title_full Advancing Osteoarthritis Treatment: The Therapeutic Potential of Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes and Biomaterial Integration
title_fullStr Advancing Osteoarthritis Treatment: The Therapeutic Potential of Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes and Biomaterial Integration
title_full_unstemmed Advancing Osteoarthritis Treatment: The Therapeutic Potential of Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes and Biomaterial Integration
title_short Advancing Osteoarthritis Treatment: The Therapeutic Potential of Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes and Biomaterial Integration
title_sort advancing osteoarthritis treatment the therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem cell derived exosomes and biomaterial integration
topic exosomes
osteoarthritis
mesenchymal stem cells
biomaterials
cartilage regeneration
url https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/12/11/2478
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