Table 3.
The fibrotic target tissues of MSC-EVs.
| Target tissues | Target cells | Results | Key mechanisms | References | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Skin | Fibroblasts | Promotion of proliferation and migration in SSc | MiR-29b-3p/PI3K-Akt, Erk1-2, and Smad3-TGF-β1 | (110) |
| Myofibroblasts | Suppressing myofibroblasts differentiation | MicroRNAs (miR-21, miR-23a, miR-125b, and miR-145)/TGF-β-SMAD2 | (111) | ||
| 2 | Lung | Lung epithelial cells | Better proliferative capacity of alveolar epithelial cell line | Activation of FGF2 signaling | (112) |
| Pulmonary vascular endothelial cells | Reduction of tissue fibrosis and vascular endothelial remodeling | Umbilical cord MSC-exosomal TNF-stimulated gene 6 | (113) | ||
| Alveolar macrophages | Alleviating lung inflammation and fibrosis | Polarization of macrophages to m2 anti-inflammatory phenotype | (114) | ||
| 3 | Heart | Cardiomyocytes | Improving cardiac function and alleviating fibrosis | MiR-22/methyl CpG binding protein 2 | (115) |
| 4 | Kidney | Tubular epithelial cells | Attenuating tubular epithelial-myofibroblast transdifferentiation of renal tubular epithelial cells | MiR-335-5p/ADAM19 | (116) |
| 5 | Colon | Intestinal epithelial cells | Inhibition of EMT | MiR-200b/ZEB1, ZEB2 | (117) |
| Macrophage | Reduction of inflammatory cytokines | MiR-146a/TRAF6, IRAK1 | (118) |
MSC-EVs, mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles; MSC, mesenchymal stem cell; EMT, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.