Exosomes Digest (1/4 May 2025)
- Lisa
- May 14
- 2 min read
We have collected the most exciting new researches in the field of genetics and cellular research in the past week.
Exosome-powered neuropharmaceutics: unlocking the blood-brain barrier for next-gen therapies
Background
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) presents a formidable challenge in neuropharmacology, limiting the delivery of therapeutic agents to the brain. Exosomes, nature’s nanocarriers, have emerged as a promising solution due to their biocompatibility, low immunogenicity, and innate ability to traverse the BBB. A thorough examination of BBB anatomy and physiology reveals the complexities of neurological drug delivery and underscores the limitations of conventional methods.
Main body
This review explores the potential of exosome-powered neuropharmaceutics, highlighting their structural and functional properties, biogenesis, and mechanisms of release. Their intrinsic advantages in drug delivery, including enhanced stability and efficient cellular uptake, are discussed in detail. Exosomes naturally overcome BBB barriers through specific translocation mechanisms, making them a compelling vehicle for targeted brain therapies. Advances in engineering strategies, such as genetic and biochemical modifications, drug loading techniques, and specificity enhancement, further bolster their therapeutic potential. Exosome-based approaches hold immense promise for treating a spectrum of neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), brain tumors, stroke, and psychiatric conditions.
Conclusion
By leveraging their innate properties and engineering innovations, exosomes offer a versatile platform for precision neurotherapeutics. Despite their promise, challenges remain in clinical translation, including large-scale production, standardization, and regulatory considerations. Future research directions in exosome nanobiotechnology aim to refine these therapeutic strategies, unlocking new avenues for treating neurological diseases. This review underscores the transformative impact of exosome-based drug delivery, paving the way for next-generation therapies that can effectively penetrate the BBB and revolutionize neuropharmacology.
Exosomes, autophagy, and cancer: A complex triad
Abstract
Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Despite remarkable progress in prevention, diagnosis, and therapy, the incidence of certain types of cancer persists, urging the identification of clinically relevant biomarkers and the development of novel therapeutic strategies to improve clinical outcomes and overcome treatment resistance. Exosomes, small extracellular vesicles released by diverse types of cells, have attracted interest in biomedical research due to their potential as carriers for different treatments. Moreover, exosomes play a pivotal role in intercellular communication, modulating various cellular processes. One of those is autophagy, a pro-survival pathway that is essential for human cells. Even though autophagy is traditionally described as a catabolic route, its machinery is intricately involved in various cellular responses, including vesicle formation and secretion. In this regard, the link between autophagy and exosomes is complex, bidirectional, and highly dependent on the cellular context. Interestingly, both processes have been extensively implicated in cancer pathogenesis, highlighting their potential as therapeutic targets. This review updates our understanding of how exosomes can participate in cancer development and progression, with a specific focus on their influence on tumor growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Additionally, the interplay between these extracellular vesicles and autophagy is minutely reviewed and discussed, as we hypothesize that this crosstalk may hold valuable clues for biomarker discovery and the development of novel therapeutic strategies.
