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Perspectives and Challenges on the Potential Use of Exosomes in Bioartificial Pancreas Engineering

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Abstract

Exosomes are enclosed within a single outer membrane and exemplify a specific subtype of secreted vesicles. Exosomes transfer signalling molecules, including microRNAs (miRNAs), messenger RNA (mRNA), fatty acids, proteins, and growth factors, making them a promising therapeutic tool. In routine bioartificial pancreas fabrication, cells are immobilized in polymeric hydrogels lacking attachment capability for cells and other biological cues. In this opinion article, we will discuss the potential role that exosomes and their specific biofactors may play to improve and sustain the function of this bioartificial construct. We will particularly discuss the challenges associated with their isolation and characterization. Since stem cells are an attractive source of exosomes, we will present the advantages of using exosomes in place of stem cells in medical devices including the bioartificial pancreas. We will provide literature evidence of active biofactors in exosomes to support their incorporation in the matrix of encapsulated islets. This will include their potential beneficial effect on hypoxic injury to encapsulated islets. In summary, we propose that the biofactors contained in secreted exosomes have significant potential to enhance the performance of islets encapsulated in polymeric material hydrogels with perm-selective properties to provide immunoisolation for islet transplants as an insulin delivery platform in diabetes.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Wake Forest University Centre for Functional Materials.

Author Contributions

PC generated the manuscript draft with formatting; AA performed the experiments and provided the data shown in the manuscript and also assisted with manuscript writing; FK helped to design and supervise the experiments and helped with data interpretation; YZ performed the characterization of the urine-derived stem cells and provided guidance on the culture and use of the cells and helped with the revision of the manuscript; ECO conceived the idea and reviewed and edited the manuscript.

Conflict of interest

The authors disclose no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA

    Priyadarshini Canning, Abdelrahman Alwan, Fatma Khalil, Yuanyuan Zhang & Emmanuel C. Opara

  2. Virginia Tech-Wake Forest School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27-57, USA

    Emmanuel C. Opara

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  1. Priyadarshini Canning
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  2. Abdelrahman Alwan
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  3. Fatma Khalil
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  5. Emmanuel C. Opara
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Correspondence to Emmanuel C. Opara.

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Canning, P., Alwan, A., Khalil, F. et al. Perspectives and Challenges on the Potential Use of Exosomes in Bioartificial Pancreas Engineering. Ann Biomed Eng 50, 1177–1186 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-022-03004-0

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