Mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles in the failing heart: past, present, and future

Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2021 Apr 16. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00951.2020. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTCardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death globally. Current treatment options include lifestyle changes, medication, and surgical intervention. However, many patients are unsuitable candidates for surgeries due to comorbidities, diffuse coronary artery disease or advanced stages of heart failure. The search for new treatment options has recently transitioned from cell-based therapies to stem-cell derived extracellular vesicles (EVs). A number of challenges remain in the EV field, including the effect of comorbidities, characterization, and delivery, However, recent revolutionary developments and insight into the potential of 'personalizing' EV contents by bioengineering methods to alter specific signaling pathways in the ischemic myocardium hold promise. Here, we discuss the past limitations of cell-based therapies, and recent EV studies involving in vivo, in vitro, and omics, and future challenges and opportunities in EV-based treatments in CVD.PMID:33861149 | DOI:10.1152/ajpheart.00951.2020
Source: American Journal of Physiology. Heart and Circulatory Physiology - Category: Physiology Authors: Source Type: research