AUTHOR=Xian Bo Shang , Chen Wang , Chang Liu , Hao Ran Yu , Hui Hui Guo , Ya Kun Zhu , Wu Kun Xie , Hai Tao Fan , Wen Dan Cheng 

TITLE=The Research Progress of Exosomes in Osteoarthritis, With Particular Emphasis on the Therapeutic Effect

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pharmacology

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2022.731756

DOI=10.3389/fphar.2022.731756

ISSN=1663-9812

ABSTRACT=Exosomes participate in many physiological and pathological processes by regulating cell-to-cell communication, which affects the occurrence and development of diseases such as osteoarthritis (OA). While exosomes in the microenvironment of OA tissues are involved in the pathological progression of OA, exosomes derived from therapeutic cells have the potential to become a new therapeutic strategy for OA. The latest research has shown that exosomes participate in OA treatment by regulating the proliferation, apoptosis, inflammation, and extracellular matrix synthesis of chondrocytes in OA. However, studies in this field are few. This review summarizes the therapeutic effect of exosomes on chondrocytes in OA and their molecular mechanisms. We also discuss the challenges and prospects of OA treatment based on exosomes.