We have collected the most exciting new researches in the field of genetics and cellular research in the past week.
Novel drug delivery system developed for Gouteng compound for Alzheimer’s disease treatment
A research team led by Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has developed a novel drug delivery system for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The researchers have engineered exosomes, extracellular vesicles released by cells, to effectively carry the bioactive compound Corynoxine-B extracted from the Chinese herbal medicine Gouteng to the brain of mice with AD.
Extracellular vesicles: biological packages that modulate tumor cell invasion
Abstract Tumor progression, from early-stage invasion to the formation of distal metastases, relies on the capacity of tumor cells to modify the extracellular matrix (ECM) and communicate with the surrounding stroma. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) provide an important means to regulate cell invasion due to the selective inclusion of cargoes such as proteases and matrix proteins into EVs that can degrade or modify the ECM. EVs have also been shown to facilitate intercellular communication in the tumor microenvironment through paracrine signaling, which can impact ECM invasion by cancer cells.
Exosomes in the Pathogenesis of Metabolic Syndrome
Abstract
Exosomes are a subtype of extracellular vesicles (EVs) with a diameter of 30~150 nm (averaging ~100 nm) that are primarily produced through the endosomal pathway, and carry various components such as lipids, proteins, RNA, and other small molecular substances. Exosomes can mediate intercellular communication through the bioactive substances they carry, thus participating in different physiological activities. Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a disease caused by disturbances in the body’s metabolism, mainly including insulin resistance (IR), diabetes, obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), hyperlipidemia, and atherosclerosis (AS). Exosomes are closely related to the occurrence and development of MS. Exosomes can act as messengers to mediate signaling transductions between metabolic cells in the organism and play a bidirectional regulatory role in the MS process.
Advanced Technology for Vector-Based Therapies Highlighting Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes Manufacturing Process
The number of clinical trials investigating viral vectors and MSC-EVs as therapeutic and skincare agents has been increasing greatly over the years. The complexity and fragility of the vector-based products, scalability, yield, and purity of production processes are challenges to meeting demand. With this comes the requirement to ensure that there are robust manufacturing processes in place to scale with demand and to make these therapies readily accessible to those who need them.
