From: Exosomes: biogenesis, biologic function and clinical potential
Therapeutic application of exosomes | Type I | Type II | Type III |
---|---|---|---|
Drugs have been reported to be loaded in exosomes | Lipophilic small molecules such as antioxidant, curcumin [143], anticancer agents, Doxorubicin [144, 145] and Paclitaxel (PTX) [103], and a model drug Rhodamine 123 [103], catalase [101], exogenous siRNA [146, 147] | PTX [100], Etoposide, Carboplatin, Irinotecan, Epirubicin, and Mitoxantrone [148], Dox, Gentamicin, 5-Fluorouracil, or Carboplatin [108], catalase [149] | OVAC1C2 fusion complementary DNA [150], pDNA for catalase [151], GDNF [149], adeno-associated virus capsids [152] |
Disadvantages | Relatively low loading capacity for already numerous proteins and nucleic acids in them | The therapeutic protein maybe degraded in host cells | The drug is limited for its encoding DNA should be expressed and sorted into exosomes |
/ | Or the therapeutic protein should be incorporated into a polymer based nanocontainer before the loading into parental cells | / | |
/ | The amount of drugs loaded into exosomes is difficult to estimate for the process of loading procedure | / | |
Advantages | Make the quantity, standardization and uniformity of exosomal drug formulations much easier | Targeting exosomes to the disease site specifically | Exosomes may contain the encoded therapeutic protein, as well as its genetic material (DNA and mRNA) |
Common merits | Non-cytotoxic effects, a high drug carrying capacity, and a low immunogenic profile |