Affiliation:
1. The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China
2. School of Basic Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, China
Abstract
Introduction:
Exosomes are nanoscale extracellular vesicles that widely participate in
intercellular communication. An increasing number of studies have reported on the neuroprotective
effects of stem cell-derived exosomes in brain diseases through various delivery methods. However,
only a few reports are available on the delivery and uptake of stem cell-derived exosomes in the
brains of mice of different ages.
Methods:
PKH-26-labelled mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes were collected, and their uptake
was investigated in the brains of mice aged 2 weeks, 2 months, and >6 months, 24 hours after
intranasal delivery.
Results:
No exosomes were distributed in the whole brains of 2-week-old mice after 24 hours of intranasal
delivery. However, a small number of exosomes were found in the olfactory bulb, cortex, and
hippocampus of 2-month-old mice, with no exosomes observed in the cerebellum. In contrast, a large
number of exosomes were ingested in all brain regions, including the olfactory bulb, cortex, hippocampus,
and cerebellum, of >6-month-old mice.
Conclusion:
Exosomes can enter the brains of adult mice through intranasal administration, but there
are differences in the uptake rate among mice of different ages. These findings provide a theoretical
basis for the future clinical administration of exosomes for treating brain disorders.
Publisher
Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.