Effects and Mechanisms of Exosomes from Different Sources in Cerebral Ischemia

Cells. 2022 Nov 15;11(22):3623. doi: 10.3390/cells11223623.

Abstract

Cerebral ischemia refers to the symptom of insufficient blood supply to the brain. Cells of many different origins participate in the process of repairing damage after cerebral ischemia occurs, in which exosomes secreted by the cells play important roles. For their characteristics, such as small molecular weight, low immunogenicity, and the easy penetration of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), exosomes can mediate cell-to-cell communication under pathophysiological conditions. In cerebral ischemia, exosomes can reduce neuronal damage and improve the brain microenvironment by regulating inflammation, mediating pyroptosis, promoting axonal growth, and stimulating vascular remodeling. Therefore, exosomes have an excellent application prospect for the treatment of cerebral ischemia. This article reviews the roles and mechanisms of exosomes from different sources in cerebral ischemia and provides new ideas for the prevention and treatment of cerebral ischemia.

Keywords: cerebral ischemia; exosome; intercellular communication; neuronal function recovery; therapeutic effect.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Blood-Brain Barrier
  • Brain Ischemia*
  • Exosomes*
  • Humans
  • Neurons
  • Pyroptosis

Grants and funding

This study was funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 82274340), Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province (2022JJ30432), Natural Science Foundation of Changsha (kq2014084), Key Project of Hunan Provincial Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (No. E2022001), The domestic first-class cultivation discipline project of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine in Hunan Province (2021ZXYJH06), National College Students’ Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program in 2021 (S202110541053), Research Fund Project of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine (2021xjjj027), First-class Discipline Construction Project of basic medicine in 13th Five-Year Plan of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine (06), and Excellent Teaching Team of Postgraduate in Hunan Province (Teaching Team of Postgraduate in Basic Medicine, Grant No. (2019-370–118)).