Combinational Treatment of Bioscaffolds and Extracellular Vesicles in Spinal Cord Injury

Front. Mol. Neurosci., 2019 · DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2019.00081 · Published: April 12, 2019

Spinal Cord Injury Neurology Regenerative Medicine & Stem Cells

Simple Explanation

Spinal cord injury (SCI) often leads to irreversible disabilities due to loss of sensorimotor functions. Current treatments involve surgery, drugs, and rehabilitation, but bioscaffolds and exosomes show promise in treating neurological diseases. Bioscaffolds can bridge lesion gaps and transport cells/bioactive factors, enhancing axonal and functional regeneration. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), particularly exosomes, are nanovesicles studied for their role in neurological disorders. This review explores the individual roles of bioscaffolds and EVs in SCI and discusses how combining them can improve SCI treatment outcomes. The combined bioscaffold-stem cell therapy could provide a favorable microenvironment to improve SCI. The secretion of EVs by host cells to recipient cells could regulate the biological activities of the recipient cells through the substances that the EVs carry.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

Not specified

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Bioscaffolds can ameliorate the spinal cord microenvironment and direct cell behaviors such as migration, proliferation and differentiation.
2
EVs are involved in intercellular communication and play important roles in the regulation of stem cell maintenance, tissue repair and immunosurveillance.
3
EVs combined with biological scaffold might hold promise for spinal cord regeneration across the injured site with fewer side effects.

Research Summary

This review discusses the potential of bioscaffolds and extracellular vesicles (EVs) in treating spinal cord injury (SCI). Bioscaffolds can bridge lesion gaps and facilitate axonal regeneration, while EVs play a role in intercellular communication and tissue repair. The authors propose that combining bioscaffolds and EVs could lead to improved SCI treatment outcomes. This combinational approach can potentially create a favorable microenvironment, reduce inflammation, and enhance axonal regeneration. The review highlights the need for further research to elucidate the specific mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of EVs and bioscaffolds in SCI, as well as to address potential adverse reactions and optimize the clinical application of this combinational therapy.

Practical Implications

Therapeutic Strategy

Combinational therapy using bioscaffolds and EVs shows promise for improved SCI treatment.

Drug Delivery

EVs can be utilized as a drug delivery system for chemotherapeutics, widening the therapeutic index for tumor treatment.

Clinical Translation

Further research is needed to translate combinational therapy into clinical practice.

Study Limitations

1
Potential of bioscaffolds in instigating inflammation is a drawback.
2
Molecular mechanisms involved in EVs secretion, uptake and transmission of signals are still unclear.
3
The precise pathophysiology of EVs in SCI presently remains unclear.

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