AUTHOR=Zhao Jiawei , Li Yue , Jia Rongrong , Wang Jinghui , Shi Min , Wang Yugang 

TITLE=Mesenchymal Stem Cells-Derived Exosomes as Dexamethasone Delivery Vehicles for Autoimmune Hepatitis Therapy

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/bioengineering-and-biotechnology/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2021.650376

DOI=10.3389/fbioe.2021.650376

ISSN=2296-4185

ABSTRACT=<p>Exosomes (Exos) are nanosized vesicles (around 100 nm) that recently serve as a promising drug carrier with high biocompatibility and low immunogenicity. Previous studies showed that Exos secreted from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) provide protection for concanavalin A (Con A)-induced liver injury. In this study, the protective effect of Exos is confirmed, and dexamethasone (DEX)-incorporated Exos named Exo@DEX are prepared. It is then investigated whether Exo@DEX can function more efficiently compared to free drugs and naive Exos in a Con A-induced autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) mouse model. The results show that Exo@DEX efficiently improves the accumulation of DEX in AIH in the liver. These data suggest that Exo@DEX is a promising drug carrier for AIH and could have applications in other diseases.</p>