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. 2023 Apr 4:1–44. Online ahead of print. doi: 10.1007/s11010-023-04715-1

Table 8.

The utility of exosomes in brain tumor treatment

EV source Therapeutic cargo Target Result References
EL4-4 T cells Curcumin, JSI-124 Microglial cells Curcumin and JSI-124 are administered intranasally by encapsulating the drugs in exosomes; no surgery is required; can be used to treat inflammatory diseases [278]
Mouse macrophage cell line Catalase (antioxidant) Endothelial cells, neurons, astrocytes Catalase administered intranasally has neuroprotective effects (in vitro and in vivo); can be used to treat inflammatory and neurodegenerative disease [365]
Blood of kunming mice Dopamine Brain epithelial cells Blood-derived exosomes can be delivered across the BBB via the transferrin–TfR interaction, with a > 15-fold increase in dopamine distribution observed, while toxicity decreased [366]
Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells modified with rabies virus glycoprotein MicroRNA-124 The ischemic cortex of the brain microRNA-124 was proven to be neuroprotective and promote neurogenesis, leading to neuron remodeling; can be used for the treatment of ischemic injury [367]
Brain endothelial bAND.3 Vascular endothelial growth factor small interfering RNA Neuronal glioblastoma, astrocytoma U-87, malignant glioma cells Vascular endothelial growth factor RNA and protein level were inhibited by siRNA encapsulated in exosomes [368]
Brain neuronal glioblastoma-astrocytoma U-87 MG cells, brain endothelial bAND.3 cells, neuroectodermal tumor PF SK-1 cells, and glioblastoma A-172 cells Rhodamine 123, Paclitaxel, doxorubicin Neuronal glioblastoma-astrocytoma U-87, malignant glioma cells The success of this treatment strategy is attributed to a higher expression level of CD63 [346]
HEK293T cells MiRNA-21 Brain tumor Suppression of tumor growth; can pass through the BBB [369]
The targeting ligand is the ApoA1 mimetic peptide Methotrexate, KLA (Lys, Leu, Ala) Glioma Selective brain tumor treatment [352]
MSCs MiRNA-146b (In vivo) Glioma Intratumoral exosome injection significantly reduced tumor volume [305]
MSCs Anti-miR-9 (In vitro) Glioblastoma multiforme Reverse expression of miR-9 sensitized the GBM cells to TMZ, which increased cell death and caspase activity [298]
HEK293T CD-UPRT fusion protein Schwannoma Treatment of Schwannoma [276]