Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are adult stromal cells with the capacity to differentiate into multiple types of cells. MSCs represent an attractive option in regenerative medicine due to their multifaceted abilities for tissue repair, immunosuppression, and anti-inflammation. Recent studies demonstrate that MSCs exert their effects via paracrine activity, which is at least partially mediated by extracellular vesicles (EVs). MSC-derived EVs (MSC-EVs) could mimic the function of parental MSCs by transferring their components such as DNA, proteins/peptides, mRNA, microRNA (miRNA), lipids, and organelles to recipient cells. In this review, we aim to summarize the mechanism and role of miRNA transfer in mediating the effects of MSC-EVs in the models of human diseases. The first three sections of the review discuss the sorting of miRNAs into EVs, uptake of EVs by target cells, and functional transfer of miRNAs via EVs. Then, we describe the composition of miRNAs in MSC-EVs. Next, we provide the existing evidence that MSC-EVs affect the outcomes of renal, liver, heart, and brain diseases by transferring their miRNA contents. In conclusion, EV-mediated miRNA transfer plays an important role in disease-modulating capacity of MSCs.
Keywords: Exosomes; Extracellular vesicles; Mesenchymal stromal (stem) cells; Microvesicles; microRNA.