bims-evecad 2025-11-16 papers

Issue of 2025–11–16
four papers selected by
Cliff Dominy

Int J Mol Sci. 2025 Oct 30. pii: 10550. [Epub ahead of print]26(21):

Human Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles: A Pioneering Path from Biogenesis to Cerebral Ischemic Stroke Therapy.

Anamika Roy, Tristan Driscoll, Samuel C Grant, Yan Li.

Despite advances in modern medicine and increased public awareness, cerebral stroke remains a leading cause of death and long-term disability worldwide. With over 600,000 new cases annually, innovative therapeutic strategies are being explored to enhance recovery outcomes. One promising approach is the use of human stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs), particularly exosomes, which function as mediators of intercellular communication. EVs have emerged as pivotal mediators of intercellular communication with immense potential in therapeutic applications. This review discusses the pioneering journey of EVs from their biogenesis and molecular cargo loading to their translation into clinical strategies for cerebral ischemic stroke therapy. While direct stem cell transplantation has faced limitations such as immune rejection, tumorigenicity, and short shelf life, human stem cell-derived EVs offer a cell-free alternative with enhanced safety, stability, and functional versatility. Preclinical studies reveal their capacity to modulate inflammation, protect neural tissue, and promote recovery through the transfer of bioactive molecules. Additionally, EVs isolated from biofluids such as blood and cerebrospinal fluid serve as promising biomarkers for stroke severity and prognosis. Despite this promise, several challenges persist-from standardizing isolation techniques and optimizing therapeutic cargo to scaling up production for clinical-grade use. This review critically examines the current understanding of EV biology, highlights the advances in stroke-related applications, and outlines key hurdles that must be addressed to unlock their full therapeutic potential.

Keywords: biogenesis; extracellular vesicles; human stem cells; stroke

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms262110550

Biofactors. 2025 Nov-Dec;51(6):51(6): e70053

A Comprehensive Insight Into the Roles of Exosomal circRNAs in Metabolic Syndrome.

Azadeh Taherpour, Safieh Ebrahimi, Farshad Mirzavi.

Exosomes are nano-sized extracellular vesicles that contain specific proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids. These small vesicles are significant in a wide range of physiological and pathological conditions. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a subclass of noncoding RNAs that are expressed differently in many tissues and play essential roles in biological function. circRNAs are remarkably stable and prevalent in exosomes. These properties make them ideal candidates for biomedical research. Exosomal circRNAs function as pathogenic regulators, biomarkers, and therapy candidates in various diseases, including metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a multifaceted condition distinguished by disruptions in the body's metabolism, encompassing obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, hyperlipidemia, and atherosclerosis. This syndrome is linked to a high risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mortality. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the roles of exosomal circRNAs in metabolic syndrome, providing recent perspectives on the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of these complicated disorders.

Keywords: cardiovascular disease; circRNA; diabetes; exosomal circular RNA; exosome; metabolic syndrome

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/biof.70053

Cells. 2025 Nov 05. pii: 1738. [Epub ahead of print]14(21):

Targeting Mitochondrial Dynamics via EV Delivery in Regenerative Cardiology: Mechanistic and Therapeutic Perspectives.

Dhienda C Shahannaz, Tadahisa Sugiura, Brandon E Ferrell, Taizo Yoshida.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a key contributor to cardiac injury and heart failure, and extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as promising therapeutic agents due to their ability to deliver mitochondrial-targeted cargo. This review systematically maps the evidence on how EVs modulate mitochondrial dynamics-including fusion, fission, mitophagy, and biogenesis-in regenerative cardiology. We comprehensively searched PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science up to September 2025 for original studies. A total of 48 studies were included, with most utilizing EVs from mesenchymal stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, or cardiac progenitors. The review found that EV cargo influences key pathways such as DRP1 and MFN2, restores mitochondrial membrane potential, reduces ROS accumulation, and improves cardiomyocyte survival. While engineered EVs showed enhanced specificity, a lack of standardized preparation and quantitative assessment methods remains a significant challenge. We conclude that EV-mediated mitochondrial modulation is a promising strategy for cardiac repair, but the field needs harmonized protocols, deeper mechanistic understanding, and improved translational readiness to advance beyond preclinical research. The future of this research lies in integrating systems biology and precision targeting.

Keywords: EV-based drug delivery; cardiac regeneration; extracellular vesicles (EVs); heart failure therapy; mitochondrial biogenesis and mitophagy; mitochondrial dynamics; mitochondrial transfer; regenerative cardiology; stem cell-derived EVs; translational cardiovascular medicine

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14211738

iScience. 2025 Nov 21. 28(11): 113692

Angiopoietin-like protein 7: A narrative review and its potential roles in post-myocardial infarction fibrosis.

Xinyue Chen, Guangcheng Liu, Zhihao Zheng, Rui Fu, Yanjun Song, Kefei Dou.

Angiopoietin-like protein 7 (ANGPTL7) is a secreted protein involved in tissue remodeling and fibrosis, playing roles in various pathological processes such as glaucoma, metabolic disorders, and cancer. Current research has found that ANGPTL7 plays a role in various diseases, including tumors, metabolic disorders, and glaucoma. In recent years, its potential functions in the cardiovascular system have begun to be preliminarily explored. Research suggests that ANGPTL7 expression levels may be associated with the pathological progression of atherosclerosis and hypertension, and it has shown potential as a prognostic biomarker in acute heart failure. Given its known pro-fibrotic biological functions and emerging links to cardiovascular pathology, this review first comprehensively integrates the molecular mechanisms and functions of ANGPTL7 across various disease contexts, with a primary focus on its roles in the cardiovascular system. Building on this foundation, this review further constructs and explores a comprehensive hypothesis regarding its potential role in pathological fibrosis following myocardial infarction. A deeper understanding of ANGPTL7 could offer a novel therapeutic strategy to mitigate cardiac fibrosis and, ultimately, prevent heart failure.

Keywords: biochemistry; biological sciences; cardiovascular medicine; health sciences; medical specialty; medicine; physiology

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2025.113692