Prospects of engineered exosomes in clinical applications: a review
Yuxuan Li, Deran Meng, Yishuai Cheng, Yanhao Sun, Yihong Dong, Juanyi Shi, Guoqiang Wan, Chao Deng
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This review addresses the challenges in the clinical application of exosomes and explores how engineered exosomes enhance targeting, stability, and therapeutic efficacy through surface modification and advanced drug-loading techniques. SIGNIFICANCE: Exosomes, with their biocompatibility and low immunogenicity, serve as natural nanocarriers. However, limitations such as suboptimal targeting and inconsistent therapeutic effects hinder their clinical translation. Engineered exosomes, leveraging physical, chemical, and peptide-based modification strategies, offer novel solutions to these bottlenecks, paving the way for optimized drug delivery and disease treatment. KEY FINDINGS: Engineered exosomes demonstrate superior targeting precision and stability compared to conventional exosomes. Innovative drug-loading technologies significantly improve delivery efficiency and safety. Through targeted delivery and synergistic actions, engineered exosomes enhance treatment outcomes for various diseases. Notwithstanding these advancements, challenges persist in standardizing production processes and evaluating long-term biosafety. CONCLUSION: Engineered exosomes overcome the intrinsic limitations of conventional exosomes through targeted modifications and innovative loading approaches, holding substantial promise for clinical drug delivery. While issues of standardization and safety require resolution, their transformative potential in disease therapy warrants continued research and development.