Open Access

REVIEW

Mesenchymal stem cell secretome and nanotechnology: Combining therapeutic strategies

ADRIANA L. FERREIRA, GUSTAVO C. PARIS, ALINE DE A. AZEVEDO, ERIKA A. C. CORTEZ, SIMONE N. CARVALHO, LAIS DE CARVALHO, ALESSANDRA A. THOLE^*

Laboratory of Stem Cell Research, Roberto Alcantara Gomes Biology Institute, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, 20540170, Brazil

* Corresponding Author: Alessandra A. Thole,

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Secretome and Biomaterials: Regenerative Medicine Application)

BIOCELL 2022, 46(8), 1807-1813. https://doi.org/10.32604/biocell.2022.019363

Received 19 September 2021; Accepted 13 December 2021; Issue published 22 April 2022

Abstract

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have pushed the field of stem cell-based therapies by inducing tissue regeneration, immunosuppression, and angiogenesis mainly through vesicles and soluble factors release (paracrine signaling). MSC-extracellular vesicles (MSC-EV) adaptable secretome and homing to injured sites allowed researchers to unlock a new era of cell-free based therapy. In parallel, nanoparticles (NP) have been explored in contributing to transport and drug delivery systems, giving drugs desired physical-chemical properties to exploit cell behavior. However, NPs can be quickly recognized by immune cells and cleared from circulation. In this viewpoint, we explore how combining both therapeutic strategies can improve efficacy and circumvent limitations of both therapies. MSCEV benefit from the potent MSC membrane composition, guiding chemotaxis to tumor sites, a very restricted microenvironment. MSC-EV has low immunogenicity, high stability, long half-life and can explore tissue targeting ligands as a precise drug carry, even across biological barriers. Those properties promote enhanced targeted drug delivery that can be combined with NP, exploring biological membrane production through: 1. direct cell therapy with NP-infused MSC; 2. NP-containing MSC-EV generated by NP-infused MSC; 3. by coating NP in MSC membrane (“MSC NanoGhosts”), allowing precise cargo definition without losing targeting. Therefore, nanotechnology combined with cell-based therapeutic resources can greatly improve targeted drug delivery, improving efficacy and opening a new venue of therapeutic possibilities.

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