Exosome-mediated microRNA delivery

Exosome-mediated microRNA delivery is a biological process and therapeutic strategy involving the transport of small non-coding RNAs via extracellular vesicles to modulate the activity of inflammatory and immune cells [1]. Exosomes are small, lipid-bilayer vesicles (30–150 nm) that naturally facilitate intercellular communication by carrying bioactive cargoes, including proteins and nucleic acids, while protecting them from systemic degradation by RNases [2]. In the context of inflammation, these vesicles can be engineered or naturally derived to deliver miRNAs that post-transcriptionally repress pro-inflammatory genes or promote anti-inflammatory pathways within target cells like macrophages and T-lymphocytes [3]. This mechanism is being explored for treating conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, sepsis, and various cancers where immune dysregulation is a key driver [2]. While promising for its high biocompatibility and ability to cross biological barriers, challenges remain regarding the precise targeting of specific cell populations and the standardization of exosome isolation and loading techniques [1][3]. [1] O'Brien, K., et al. (2020). Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology. [2] Zhou, X., et al. (2018). Frontiers in Immunology. [3] Zhang, Y., et al. (2015). Cell & Bioscience.

Other names

Exosomal miRNA deliveryExtracellular vesicle-mediated miRNA transportEV-mediated microRNA deliveryExosome-based RNA interference delivery

Exosomes encapsulate miRNAs to protect them from degradation and facilitate their uptake by target immune cells via endocytosis or membrane fusion, where the miRNAs then inhibit target mRNA translation.