Title : Understanding exosomes in cartilage repair: From cartilage-derived cells to cell-free regenerative therapy
Abstract:
Articular cartilage has a limited intrinsic capacity for repair, and the development of durable hyaline-like cartilage remains a major challenge in regenerative medicine. Although cell-based therapies using mesenchymal stromal cells, chondrocytes, and cartilage-derived progenitor cells have shown promise, growing evidence suggests that much of their therapeutic activity may be mediated by paracrine mechanisms. Extracellular vesicles, including exosomes, have therefore emerged as important mediators of cell–cell communication and potential cell-free therapeutic agents for cartilage repair.
Our research has focused on cartilage-resident chondroprogenitors and their regenerative potential, with increasing emphasis on their secretome and extracellular vesicle-mediated effects. We have investigated extracellular vesicles derived from human cartilage-derived chondroprogenitors, articular chondrocytes and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, and evaluated their reparative and immunomodulatory potential in preclinical models of osteoarthritis. Our work has also included the evaluation of chondroprogenitor-derived exosomes for cartilage repair and regeneration in an experimental osteoarthritis model.
This presentation will provide an overview of the biological rationale for using extracellular vesicles and exosomes in cartilage regeneration, with particular emphasis on how the identity of the parent cell may influence vesicle-mediated effects. Comparative studies of vesicles derived from chondroprogenitors, chondrocytes and mesenchymal stem cells provide an opportunity to understand differences in their reparative and immunomodulatory signatures. The presentation will also highlight the potential role of extracellular vesicles in modulating the osteoarthritic joint environment, promoting cartilage-associated responses, and influencing interactions between transplanted or resident cells and the host tissue.
Finally, the talk will consider the opportunities and challenges in translating exosome-based approaches from experimental models to clinically relevant cell-free therapies, including the importance of defining vesicle identity, biological potency, source-cell characteristics and reproducible manufacturing strategies.
Together, these findings support the concept that understanding the secretome of cartilage-resident cells may provide new avenues for developing biologically active, cell-free strategies for cartilage repair.
