Innovative Diagnosis and Therapeutic Modalities: Engineered Exosomes in Autoimmune Disease

Abstract

Autoimmune diseases refer to a group of conditions where the immune system produces an immune response against self-antigens, resulting in tissue damage. These diseases have profound impacts on the health of patients. In recent years, with the rapid development in the field of biomedicine, engineered exosomes have emerged as a noteworthy class of biogenic nanoparticles. By precisely manipulating the cargo and surface markers of exosomes, engineered exosomes have gained enhanced anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and tissue reparative abilities, providing new prospects for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. Engineered exosomes not only facilitate the efficient delivery of bioactive molecules including nucleic acids, proteins, and cytokines, but also possess the capability to modulate immune cell functions, suppress inflammation, and restore immune homeostasis. This review mainly focuses on the applications of engineered exosomes in several typical autoimmune diseases. Additionally, this article comprehensively summarizes the current approaches for modification and engineering of exosomes and outlines their prospects in clinical applications. In conclusion, engineered exosomes, as an innovative therapeutic approach, hold promise for the management of autoimmune diseases. However, while significant progress has been made, further rigorous research is still needed to address the challenges that engineered exosomes may encounter in the therapeutic intervention process, in order to facilitate their successful translation into clinical practice and ultimately benefit a broader population of patients.

Keywords:

• engineered exosomes
• autoimmune diseases
• genetic engineering
• anti-inflammatory applications

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81871292), Four “batches” innovation project of invigorating medical through science and technology of shanxi province (2023XM002), Fundamental Research Program of Shanxi Province (202303021211218), 2024 Shanxi Provincial Doctoral Innovation Station (Leading Ph.D Ke Xu), Shanxi Province Postgraduate Practice Innovation Project (2023SJ135).

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.