Extracellular vesicles as delivery systems at nano-/micro-scale

Peiwen Fu; Jianguo Zhang; Haitao Li; Michael Mak; Wenrong Xu; Zhimin Tao

doi:10.1016/j.addr.2021.113910

Extracellular vesicles as delivery systems at nano-/micro-scale

Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2021 Dec:179:113910. doi: 10.1016/j.addr.2021.113910. Epub 2021 Aug 3.

Authors

Peiwen Fu¹, Jianguo Zhang², Haitao Li³, Michael Mak⁴, Wenrong Xu⁵, Zhimin Tao⁶

Affiliations

¹ Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China; Zhenjiang Municipal Key Laboratory of High Technology for Basic and Translational Research on Exosomes, Zhenjiang 212013, China.
² Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China; Department of Critical Care Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212001, China.
³ Institute for Energy Research, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China.
⁴ Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Yale University, New Haven 06520, USA. Electronic address: michael.mak@yale.edu.
⁵ Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China; Zhenjiang Municipal Key Laboratory of High Technology for Basic and Translational Research on Exosomes, Zhenjiang 212013, China. Electronic address: icls@ujs.edu.cn.
⁶ Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China; Zhenjiang Municipal Key Laboratory of High Technology for Basic and Translational Research on Exosomes, Zhenjiang 212013, China. Electronic address: jsutao@ujs.edu.cn.

Abstract

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have shown significant promises as nano-/micro-size carriers in drug delivery and bioimaging. With more characteristics of EVs explored through tremendous research efforts, their unmatched physicochemical properties, biological features, and mechanical aspects make them unique vehicles, owning exceptional pharmacokinetics, circulatory metabolism and biodistribution pattern when delivering theranostic cargoes. In this review we firstly analyzed pros and cons of the EVs as a delivery platform. Secondly, compared to engineered nanoparticle delivery systems, such as biocompatible di-block co-polymers, rational design to improve EVs (exosomes in particular) were elaborated. Lastly, different pharmaceutical loading approaches into EVs were compared, reaching a conclusion on how to construct a clinically available and effective nano-/micro-carrier for a satisfactory medical mission.

Keywords: Drug delivery; Exosomes; Extracellular vesicles; Nanomaterials.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Drug Delivery Systems / methods*
Drug Stability
Exosomes / metabolism
Extracellular Vesicles / metabolism*
Humans
Nanoparticle Drug Delivery System / chemistry*
Nanoparticle Drug Delivery System / pharmacokinetics*
Particle Size

Substances

Nanoparticle Drug Delivery System

Grants and funding

R21 EB026630/EB/NIBIB NIH HHS/United States