Tissue Eng Regen Med.  2020 Aug;17(4):537-552. 10.1007/s13770-020-00267-3.

The Therapeutic Potential of Extracellular Vesicles Versus Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Liver Damage

• Rostom DM
• Attia N
• Khalifa HM
• Nazel MWA
• Sabaawy EAE

• KMID: 2505181
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1007/s13770-020-00267-3

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)hold significant potential as a novel alternative to whole-cell therapy. We herein compare the therapeutic potential of BMMSCsversus their EVs (MSC-EVs) in an experimental Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver damage rat model.
METHODS
Rats with liver damage received a single IV injection of MSC-EVs, 1 million MSCs, or 3 million MSCs. Thetherapeutic efficacy of each treatment was assessed using liver histopathology, liver function tests and immunohistochemistryfor liver fibrosis and hepatocellular injury.
RESULTS
Animals that received an injection of either MSCs-EVs or 3 million MSCs depicted significant regression ofcollagen deposition in the liver tissue and marked attenuation of hepatocellular damage, both structurally and functionally.
CONCLUSION
Similar to high doses of MSC-based therapy (3 million MSCs), MSC-EVs mitigated the fibrogenesis andhepatocellular injury in a rat model of CCl₄-induced liver fibrosis. The anti-fibrinogenic effect was induced by attenuatinghepatic stellate cell activation. Therefore, the administration of MSC-EVs could be considered as a candidate cell-freetherapeutic strategy for liver fibrosis and hepatocellular damage.