Exosomes, people derived vesicles responsible for intercellular communication, are emerging arsenic next-generation supplier transportation systems tin of transporting therapeutics to circumstantial cells. However, their tightly packed, cholesterol-rich membranes make it highly difficult to encapsulate ample molecules specified arsenic mRNA aliases proteins. Conventional approaches person relied connected techniques for illustration electroporation aliases chemic treatment, which often harm some nan narcotics and exosomes, trim transportation efficiency, and require analyzable purification steps-all of which airs important barriers to commercialization.
A associated investigation squad led by Dr. Hojun Kim astatine nan Center for Advanced Biomolecular Recognition and Dr. Hong Nam Kim astatine nan Center for Brain Convergence Research of nan Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST, President Sang-Rok Oh) has developed a caller drug-loading method that allows ample biomolecules to beryllium efficiently incorporated into exosomes simply by mixing. This breakthrough enables unchangeable supplier encapsulation successful nether 10 minutes, eliminating nan request for specialized instrumentality aliases analyzable processing.
The squad utilized a lipid-based nanoparticle known arsenic a "cubosome," which mimics nan fusion building of compartment membranes and people fuses pinch exosomes. By mixing cubosomes carrying mRNA pinch exosomes astatine room somesthesia for conscionable 10 minutes, nan researchers achieved businesslike fusion and confirmed that nan mRNA was successfully loaded into nan exosomes. Analysis showed that complete 98% of nan mRNA was encapsulated, while nan structural integrity and biologic usability of nan exosomes were preserved.
Furthermore, nan engineered exosomes demonstrated nan expertise to transverse nan blood-brain barrier, 1 of nan astir difficult hurdles successful supplier delivery. Notably, nan squad observed a "homing" effect, wherever exosomes return to nan type of compartment they originated from, enabling targeted supplier transportation to diseased tissues. This exertion achieves businesslike loading of ample biomolecules without altering nan exosomes themselves, opening nan doorway to applicable applications of exosome-based therapies successful precision medicine.
The method is highly adaptable to objective environments, arsenic it requires nary specialized instrumentality aliases analyzable processing. It preserves exosome usability while enabling nan transportation of ample payloads, offering wide imaginable for nan curen of intractable diseases, including neurological disorders, cancer, and autoimmune conditions. The squad plans to behaviour further information evaluations for objective translator and found a wide accumulation strategy for cubosomes.
This exertion allows aesculapian professionals to easy harvester exosomes and therapeutic molecules astatine nan objective site, making it a meaningful measurement toward realizing personalized medicine."
Dr. Hojun Kim of KIST
Dr. Hong Nam Kim added, "Because it enables precise supplier transportation moreover successful analyzable tissues specified arsenic nan brain, it holds awesome imaginable for treating a wide scope of diseases."
Source:
Journal reference:
Son, G., et al. (2025). Fusogenic lipid nanoparticles for accelerated transportation of ample therapeutic molecules to exosomes. Nature Communications. doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59489-5.