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Table 5 The advantage and disadvantage of each type of therapeutics

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

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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

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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