Skip to content
DraconiticResearch
Search Sources API
203,234 studies31 sourcesUpdated 53 min ago
Peer-reviewedCC BYStem cell research & therapy

Stem cell-derived exosomes in the therapy of renal diseases: a comprehensive review.

  • Qikai Luo1,2
  • Nan Yang1
  • Yiwei Shang1
  • Yixuan Gao1
  • Qiang He3,4
  • Juan Jin5
5 affiliations
  1. 1Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.
  2. 2First Clinical Medical College, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.
  3. 3Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China. [email protected].
  4. 4First Clinical Medical College, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China. [email protected].
  5. 5Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China. [email protected].
Read full textPDFDOICite

Abstract

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) represents a growing global public health challenge. Current treatments, including pharmacological therapy, immunosuppression, and renal replacement therapy, mainly aim to slow disease progression rather than restore damaged renal tissue, and their efficacy remains limited in many patients. Although stem cell-based therapies have shown regenerative potential, their clinical application is constrained by poor cell survival, limited engraftment, immunogenicity, and potential safety concerns. Stem cell-derived exosomes (SC-exosomes) have therefore attracted increasing attention as a potential cell-free therapeutic strategy. These nanoscale extracellular vesicles can transfer bioactive cargoes, including proteins, lipids, messenger RNAs (mRNAs), and microRNAs (miRNAs), to recipient cells and thereby mediate intercellular communication. Compared with parental stem cell transplantation, SC-exosomes may offer several advantages, including lower immunogenicity, reduced tumorigenic risk, relative stability, and the potential to cross certain biological barriers. This comprehensive review summarizes current research on SC-exosomes in renal diseases, with emphasis on their biological characteristics, therapeutic mechanisms, preclinical evidence, and translational challenges. SC-exosomes may contribute to renal repair by promoting cell survival and regeneration, suppressing inflammation, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and fibrosis, and modulating immune and microvascular responses. We also discuss their potential relevance in multiple renal conditions, including acute kidney injury (AKI), CKD, diabetic nephropathy (DN), and other kidney diseases, as well as the use of exosomal cargoes as candidate diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers. Finally, we outline emerging opportunities and unresolved challenges in this field, including engineered exosomes, targeted delivery, exosome heterogeneity, dose optimization, large-scale production, purification, quality control, and long-term safety. Further standardized preclinical studies and well-designed clinical trials are needed before SC-exosome-based approaches can be translated into routine clinical application.

Related

  1. CAR-NK cell-derived exosomes in cancer therapy: bridging cellular immunotherapy and nanomedicine
    Mazdak Ganjalikhani Hakemi, Zohreh Saltanatpori, Lingqi Zhou +3
    Frontiers in ImmunologyPeer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Full textMolecular biology & gene regulationCrossref
  2. Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes alleviate renal interstitial fibrosis via pVHL-mediated HIF-1α ubiquitination and degradation
    Chen Qi, Bei Li, Wei Wu +3
    BMC BiologyPeer-reviewedCC BY-NC-ND 4.0Molecular biology & gene regulationCrossref
  3. Engineered Factor VIII: A Comprehensive Review of Molecular Biology, Design Strategies, and AAV-Mediated Gene Therapy
    Albina Khairetdinova, Valentin Artemyev, Ekaterina A. Astakhova +7
    International Journal of Molecular SciencesPeer-reviewedCC BY 4.0General biochemistryCrossref
  4. Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes for Bone Regeneration: Modification Strategies and miRNA-Mediated Modulation of Osteogenic Signaling
    Anastasiia Meglei, Daria Paymeteva, Irina Nedorubova +3
    International Journal of Molecular SciencesPeer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Molecular biology & gene regulationCrossref
  5. Niche-derived exosomes control Drosophila immune stress hematopoiesis
    Nathalie Vanzo, Marianne Montemurro, Christian Rouvière +3
    Frontiers in ImmunologyPeer-reviewedCC BYFull textMolecular biology & gene regulationHAL

Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{luo2026stem,
  title = {{Stem cell-derived exosomes in the therapy of renal diseases: a comprehensive review.}},
  author = {Qikai Luo and Nan Yang and Yiwei Shang and Yixuan Gao and Qiang He and Juan Jin},
  journal = {Stem cell research \& therapy},
  year = {2026},
  month = aug,
  doi = {10.1186/s13287-026-05199-8},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42972439},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Stem cell-derived exosomes in the therapy of renal diseases: a comprehensive review.
AU  - Qikai Luo
AU  - Nan Yang
AU  - Yiwei Shang
AU  - Yixuan Gao
AU  - Qiang He
AU  - Juan Jin
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/01
JO  - Stem cell research & therapy
DO  - 10.1186/s13287-026-05199-8
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42972439
AB  - Chronic kidney disease (CKD) represents a growing global public health challenge. Current treatments, including pharmacological therapy, immunosuppression, and renal replacement therapy, mainly aim to slow disease progression rather than restore damaged renal tissue, and their efficacy remains limited in many patients. Although stem cell-based therapies have shown regenerative potential, their clinical application is constrained by poor cell survival, limited engraftment, immunogenicity, and potential safety concerns. Stem cell-derived exosomes (SC-exosomes) have therefore attracted increasing attention as a potential cell-free therapeutic strategy. These nanoscale extracellular vesicles can transfer bioactive cargoes, including proteins, lipids, messenger RNAs (mRNAs), and microRNAs (miRNAs), to recipient cells and thereby mediate intercellular communication. Compared with parental stem cell transplantation, SC-exosomes may offer several advantages, including lower immunogenicity, reduced tumorigenic risk, relative stability, and the potential to cross certain biological barriers. This comprehensive review summarizes current research on SC-exosomes in renal diseases, with emphasis on their biological characteristics, therapeutic mechanisms, preclinical evidence, and translational challenges. SC-exosomes may contribute to renal repair by promoting cell survival and regeneration, suppressing inflammation, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and fibrosis, and modulating immune and microvascular responses. We also discuss their potential relevance in multiple renal conditions, including acute kidney injury (AKI), CKD, diabetic nephropathy (DN), and other kidney diseases, as well as the use of exosomal cargoes as candidate diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers. Finally, we outline emerging opportunities and unresolved challenges in this field, including engineered exosomes, targeted delivery, exosome heterogeneity, dose optimization, large-scale production, purification, quality control, and long-term safety. Further standardized preclinical studies and well-designed clinical trials are needed before SC-exosome-based approaches can be translated into routine clinical application.
SN  - 1757-6512
ER  -