Cell therapy has received significant attention as a therapeutic approach to restore cardiac function after myocardial infarction. Accumulating evidence supports that beneficial effects observed with cell therapy are due to paracrine secretion of multiple factors from transplanted cells, which alter the tissue microenvironment and orchestrate cardiac repair processes. Of these paracrine factors, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as a key effector of cell therapy. EVs regulate cellular function through the transfer of cargo, such as microRNAs and proteins, which act on multiple biological pathways within recipient cells. These discoveries have led to the development of cell-free therapies using EVs to improve cardiac repair after a myocardial infarction. Here, we present an overview of the current use of EVs to enhance cardiac repair after myocardial infarction. We also discuss the emerging use of EVs for rejuvenation-based therapies. Finally, future directions for the use of EVs as therapeutic agents for cardiac regenerative medicine are also discussed.
Keywords: aging; cell therapy; extracellular vesicles; myocardial infarction; rejuvenation.