Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been exploited as bio-inspired drug delivery systems (DDS) in the biomedical field. EVs have more advantages than synthetic nanoparticles: they are naturally equipped to cross extra- and intra-cellular barriers. Furthermore, they can deliver functional biomolecules from one cell to another even far away in the body. These advantages, along with obtained promising in vivo results, clearly evidenced the potential of EVs in drug delivery.
Source of Exosomes | Purpose | Method |
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Source of Exosomes | Purpose | Method | Results | References | ||||||||||||
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Results | References | |||||||||||||||
4T1 breast cancer-derived exosomes | See whether the linkage of azide-fluor 545 on the surface of an EV would change its function | |||||||||||||||
Primary bone marrow stemmed macrophage-derived exosomes | Targeting of paclitaxel delivery to pulmonary metastases for systemic administration | 4T1 EXOs were functionalized with a terminal alkyl group after click chemistry | Incorporation of amino-ethylanisamide-PEG on the surface of EXOs allows the bond of the sigma receptors to lung cancer cells | No modification of the natural functions of the EV was impaired by being chemically modified | Greater antineoplastic efficacy, high inhibition of tumor growth, and better survival time after systemic administration |
[14] |
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[ | ] |
[43] |
Dendritic cell-derived EVs | Improving the delivery of paclitaxel to target cancer cells | Conjugation of an aptamer on the surface of EVs using covalent binding | |||||||||||
Plasma-derived exosomes containing miRNA21 | Hydrophobic insertion of cholesterol to improve the therapeutic effects of exosome-based cancer therapy | Modification of loaded exosomes with the hydrophobic insertion of AS1411 aptamer interacting with proteins after a reversible light-inducible protein-protein interactionThe surface modification showed a 6-fold and 3-fold treatment efficacy in vitro and in vivo | Good internalization of the exosomes in leukemia cells and successful delivery of the miRNA21 loaded AS1411-Exos with significant induction of cellular apoptosis |
[17] |
[33] |
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Human red blood cells (RBCs) as a source of EVs | Study of a permanent covalent bond between peptides or specific nanobodies and EVs’ surfaces | Simple enzymatic method on EVs targeting several cancer cells | Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeting peptide or anti-EGFR nanobody improved their accumulation in EGFR+ cancer cells |
[20] |
[36] |
Source of Exosomes | Purpose | Method | Results | References | |||||||||||||||
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CD63-GFP-containing exosomes derived from HeLa cells and Chines Hamster Ovary (CHO)-K1 cells | A simple technique for enhancing exosomes | cellular uptake and | cytosolic release | Electrostatic interaction between a positively charged lipofectamine and the negatively charged surface membrane of an EV | LTX increased the cellular uptake of GFP-GALA-Exos 15-fold by HeLa cells and 175-fold by CHO-K1 cells |
[21] |
[37] |
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Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC)-derived exosomes | Reach injured liver sites | EVs surface modified with cationized pullulan | Excellent cellular uptake in HepG2 cells and good distribution in the liver Enhanced anti-inflammatory effect of +pull-MSC Exos |
[22] |
[38] |
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[ | ] |
[44] |
Vexosomes are formed by the natural association between adeno-associated viruses and exosomes | Influence of magnetic beads on the targeting of vexosomes | Vexosomes were bound to streptavidin-conjugated magnetic beads | After activation of the magnetic field, two times more vexosomes joined the magnetic region |
[24] |
[40] |
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Reticulocyte-derived exosomes (REXOs) | Study of a new targeted drug delivery system | Transferrin conjugated superparamagnetic nanoparticle cluster | bound to the transferrin of REXOs loaded with doxorubicin via hydrophobic effects | The entire suppression of the tumor growth factor was possible only under MF |
[26] |
[42] |