Lan Shuquan, Zhang Chao
Stomatological Hospital, School of Stomatology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Front Immunol. 2025 Sep 4;16:1611718. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1611718. eCollection 2025.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic, degenerative joint disease characterized by progressive cartilage degradation and inflammation. Exosomes, small vesicles released by various cell types, play a crucial role in mediating immune responses and inflammation. In OA, exosomes from antigen-presenting cells (APCs) promote synovial inflammation through antigen presentation and cytokine signaling, while those from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) modulate inflammation by reprogramming macrophages. Exosomal cargo has shown potential in controlling inflammatory pathways and protecting cartilage from degradation. MSC-derived exosomes have demonstrated therapeutic promise in reducing OA-related inflammation and promoting cartilage regeneration. Despite several reports have outlined the role of exosomes or immune modulation in OA individually, comprehensive reviews integrating their roles in both immune regulation and inflammation repair in OA are still lacking. This knowledge gap hinders the translational application of exosome-based interventions in clinical settings. This review aims to summarize the immunoregulatory roles of exosomes in OA, emphasizing their impact on inflammation and immune responses, and discusses their therapeutic potential in OA treatment. By elucidating the roles of exosomes, the findings of this review could facilitate the development of novel, minimally invasive strategies for improving OA treatment and enhancing inflammation repair.
骨关节炎（OA）是一种慢性退行性关节疾病，其特征为软骨进行性退化和炎症。外泌体是由各种细胞类型释放的小囊泡，在介导免疫反应和炎症中起关键作用。在骨关节炎中，抗原呈递细胞（APC）释放的外泌体通过抗原呈递和细胞因子信号传导促进滑膜炎症，而间充质干细胞（MSC）释放的外泌体则通过重编程巨噬细胞来调节炎症。外泌体所含物质在控制炎症途径和保护软骨免受降解方面已显示出潜力。源自间充质干细胞的外泌体在减轻骨关节炎相关炎症和促进软骨再生方面已显示出治疗前景。尽管有几份报告分别概述了外泌体或免疫调节在骨关节炎中的作用，但仍缺乏综合阐述它们在骨关节炎免疫调节和炎症修复中作用的综述。这一知识空白阻碍了基于外泌体的干预措施在临床环境中的转化应用。本综述旨在总结外泌体在骨关节炎中的免疫调节作用，强调它们对炎症和免疫反应的影响，并讨论它们在骨关节炎治疗中的治疗潜力。通过阐明外泌体的作用，本综述的研究结果有助于开发新的、微创的策略，以改善骨关节炎治疗并增强炎症修复。
