Diagnostic and Therapeutic Potential of Exosomes in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Abstract

Neurodegenerative diseases are closely related to brain function and the progression of the diseases are irreversible. Due to brain tissue being not easy to acquire, the study of the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative disorders has many limitations—lack of reliable early biomarkers and personalized treatment. At the same time, the blood-brain barrier (BBB) limits most of the drug molecules into the damaged areas of the brain, which makes a big drop in the effect of drug treatment. Exosomes, a kind of endogenous nanoscale vesicles, play a key role in cell signaling through the transmission of genetic information and proteins between cells. Because of the ability to cross the BBB, exosomes are expected to link peripheral changes to central nervous system (CNS) events as potential biomarkers, and can even be used as a therapeutic carrier to deliver molecules specifically to CNS. Here we summarize the role of exosomes in pathophysiology, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of some neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, Huntington’s Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis).

Galectin-3 Involvement in Cognitive Processes for New Therapeutic Considerations

“…It has been demonstrated that Gal-3 can be secreted and exported from cells by an alternative secretory pathway including specific vesicles/exosomes ( Nickel, 2003 ). Modulation of Gal-3 secretion by exosomes represents an interesting new concept and a potential therapeutic approach in neurodegenerative disorders, as numerous studies on exosomes have confirmed their role in pathophysiological mechanisms and disease development, as well as their application for therapy and targeted drug delivery in these brain pathologies ( Gao et al, 2021 ). It has been shown that naturally occurring or engineered exosomes derived from stem cells may exert therapeutic effects in AD ( Perets et al, 2019 ).…”

Research advances and challenges in tissue-derived extracellular vesicles

“…Neurodegenerative disorders are a group of central nervous system (CNS) diseases related to brain function degeneration, including Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), Parkinson’s Disease (PD), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Huntington’s Disease ( Gao et al, 2021 ). Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder, which is characterized by the amyloid plaques and the intracellular accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) in brain tissue ( Goedert et al, 1988 ; Duyckaerts et al, 2009 ).…”

Nanotechnology-Inspired Extracellular Vesicles Theranostics for Diagnosis and Therapy of Central Nervous System Diseases

“…Holding many types of biomarkers and the ability to cross the BBB, EVs have shown great promise as a liquid biopsy for CNS diseases, accelerating a shift toward personalized medicine. , Traditional EV detection techniques including Western blotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), nanoparticle tracking analysis, flow cytometry, next-generation sequencing, mass spectrometry, and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction are confronted with several drawbacks including time consumption, costly instrumentations, and limited sensitivity . To meet the increasing demand for ultrasensitive, simple operation, high-throughput, and low-cost methods, nanotechnology has significantly improved the analytical performance of EV detection by integrating nanomaterials and nanostructures with various techniques (summarized in Figure ); , (i) Binding of antibody-conjugated nanomaterials to EV surface markers can trigger selective fluorescence signal.…”