Targeting Inflammation and Regeneration: Scaffolds, Extracellular Vesicles, and Nanotechnologies as Cell-Free Dual-Target Therapeutic Strategies

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) affects over 250 million people worldwide and despite various existing treatment strategies still has no cure. It is a multifactorial disease characterized by cartilage loss and low-grade synovial inflammation. Focusing on these two targets together could be the key to developing currently missing disease-modifying OA drugs (DMOADs). This review aims to discuss the latest cell-free techniques applied in cartilage tissue regeneration, since they can provide a more controllable approach to inflammation management than the cell-based ones. Scaffolds, extracellular vesicles, and nanocarriers can be used to suppress inflammation, but they can also act as immunomodulatory agents. This is consistent with the latest tissue engineering paradigm, postulating a moderate, controllable inflammatory reaction to be beneficial for tissue remodeling and successful regeneration.

Unraveling Endothelial Cell Migration: Insights into Fundamental Forces, Inflammation, Biomaterial Applications, and Tissue Regeneration Strategies

“…Most synthetic polymers have been found to trigger severe inflammation in vivo , whereas natural biomaterials elicit a significantly reduced immune response. , Excessive proinflammatory reactions can lead to healing complications, nonfunctional fibrosis, or the degradation of transplanted biomaterials. However, this degradation, in relation to the ECM, releases matrix-related bioactive components that guide cell differentiation, proliferation, and migration.…”

Intra‐Articular Injection of Nanomaterials for the Treatment of Osteoarthritis: From Lubrication Function Restoration to Cell and Gene Therapy

“…In the realm of OA therapy, the advancement of cartilagetargeting materials represents a pivotal area of research. [155][156][157] The paramount importance of these materials lies in their ability to precisely deliver therapeutic agents directly to the afflicted cartilage, thus augmenting the efficacy of treatment while concurrently mitigating adverse effects on healthy tissues. [158] Cartilage targeting encompasses both passive targeting strategy and proactive targeting strategy.…”

Tuning the Extracellular Vesicles Membrane through Fusion for Biomedical Applications

“…EVs have the potential to be used in a variety of biomedical applications, including diagnosis and as a vehicle for therapeutic agent delivery [ 121 , 122 , 123 ]. The biocompatibility, bioinertness, and low immune response of EVs make them a promising option compared to synthetic vesicles [ 124 ]. By fusing exosomes with other lipid-based vesicles, the properties of the fused vesicles can be altered to increase the targeting effectiveness and improve the drug delivery [ 50 ].…”