Abstract

Extracellular Vesicles as Mediators of Tissue Repair and Disease Reversal

Peter Quesenberry, Professor, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University

Extracellular vesicle from marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been shown to have tissue repair characteristics.  We have studied several models examining the capacity of MSC vesicles to promote tissue repair or disease reversal.  In a murine model of monocrotaline induced pulmonary hypertension we have demonstrated that MSC derived vesicles will reverse or prevent the development of pulmonary hypertension as measured by vascular remodeling and right ventricular hypertrophy.  In a similar vein we have demonstrated that MSC-derived vesicles mitigates radiation damage to murine bone marrow stem cells both in vitro and in vivo.  This latter appears to be mediated by miRNA species. Lastly, MSC-derived vesicles have been shown to reverse the malignant phenotype of both colorectal and prostate cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

The potential therapeutic applications of possible vesicle therapy are apparent and await appropriate progress in scale up approaches for harvest of vesicle types.