GMP-Compliant Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes for Cell-Free Therapy in Cancer

Methods Mol Biol. 2024:2736:163-176. doi: 10.1007/7651_2022_467.

Abstract

Cancer is categorized as one of the life-threatening disease in the world, which has recently been associated with a significant increase in the incidence and prevalence rate. Hence, the discovery of effective approaches for prevention, early diagnosis, and effective treatment for cancer has been prioritized by oncology researchers. In recent decades, mesenchymal stem cells show great potential to advance the field of regenerative medicine and oncology research due to representing prominent characteristics. Recently, studies indicate that mesenchymal stem cells can play an important role by secreting extracellular vesicles like exosomes in modulating the biological functions of target cells through paracrine regulation. Indeed, the exosomes derived from mesenchymal stem cells can represent the same therapeutic potential as parent cells with fewer side effects. Therefore, it can be demonstrated that exosomes can be a suitable drug delivery candidate in regenerative medicine and targeted therapy. It is also noteworthy that as the use of exosome therapy becomes more common in clinical studies, the importance of improving basic criteria such as safety, efficiency, and quality of stem cell products will also be highlighted. Based on this concept, the good manufacturing practice principles were put forward to examine the standard of cell products from different qualitative and quantitative aspects to progress the cell therapy. In other words, the principles of good manufacturing practice should be observed not only in the extraction and isolation of stem cells but also in the extraction of products related to stem cells such as exosomes in the field of treatment.

Keywords: Exosomes; Extracellular vesicles; Mesenchymal stem cell; Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes; Regenerative medicine.

MeSH terms

  • Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy
  • Exosomes*
  • Humans
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells*
  • Neoplasms*
  • Regenerative Medicine